Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Tonsberg Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Tonsberg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,482 in Oslo versus $2,702 in Tonsberg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,887 in Oslo versus $3,937 in Tonsberg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,292 in Oslo versus $5,172 in Tonsberg.

Living in Oslo is roughly 29% more expensive than in Tonsberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 153% above, Tonsberg 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.52 NOK 200

$20.99 NOK 195

2.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$127 NOK 1,184

$107 NOK 997

18.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.83 NOK 147

$15.96 NOK 148

-0.81%

Cappuccino

$6.01 NOK 55.9

$5.55 NOK 51.6

8.29%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 NOK 38.81

$5.73 NOK 53.3

-27.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 NOK 31.88

$5.43 NOK 50.5

-36.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.58 NOK 108

$11.96 NOK 111

-3.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.62 NOK 117

$10.77 NOK 100

17.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 NOK 23.94

$2.28 NOK 21.21

12.72%

White Bread (500g)

$4.31 NOK 40.13

$3.58 NOK 33.33

20.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 NOK 42.71

$4.42 NOK 41.17

3.85%

Eggs

$5.96 NOK 55.5

$4.87 NOK 45.36

22.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.97 NOK 139

$11.56 NOK 108

29.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.70 NOK 146

$15.09 NOK 140

4.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.01 NOK 279

$33.62 NOK 313

-10.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.41

$3.03 NOK 28.19

14.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 NOK 24.88

$2.35 NOK 21.87

13.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 NOK 33.75

$3.05 NOK 28.39

19.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 NOK 55.6

$5.70 NOK 53.0

4.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 NOK 25.54

$2.55 NOK 23.76

7.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 NOK 27.36

$2.87 NOK 26.73

2.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.21 NOK 29.87

$3.02 NOK 28.14

6.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 NOK 22.85

$2.08 NOK 19.40

18.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.43 NOK 181

$16.36 NOK 152

18.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 NOK 155

$19.07 NOK 177

-12.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 NOK 32.23

$3.70 NOK 34.44

-6.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 NOK 39.95

$4.10 NOK 38.15

4.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.95 NOK 46.10

$4.92 NOK 45.82

0.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.6 NOK 778

$84.9 NOK 790

-1.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.10 NOK 113

$10.44 NOK 97.1

15.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NOK 17.86

$1.75 NOK 16.28

9.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$71.7 NOK 668

$77.6 NOK 722

-7.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.15

$2.63 NOK 24.45

-13.69%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$50.0K NOK 465.4K

$46.2K NOK 430.4K

8.15%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$45.3K NOK 421.2K

$40.9K NOK 381.0K

10.55%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$431 NOK 4,010

$278 NOK 2,584

55.20%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$32.70 NOK 304

$32.56 NOK 303

0.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 NOK 528

$55.9 NOK 520

1.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 NOK 555

$48.71 NOK 453

22.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 NOK 269

$42.76 NOK 398

-32.39%

Cinema Ticket

$19.06 NOK 177

$18.06 NOK 168

5.54%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$251 NOK 2,340

$233 NOK 2,170

7.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K NOK 147.4K

$11.5K NOK 107.2K

37.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 NOK 955

$90.0 NOK 837

14.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.1 NOK 578

$62.5 NOK 582

-0.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 NOK 1,286

$144 NOK 1,338

-3.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,496

$144 NOK 1,341

11.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,079 NOK 19.3K

$1,239 NOK 11.5K

67.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 NOK 14.7K

$995 NOK 9,258

58.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 NOK 28.3K

$1,511 NOK 14.1K

101.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 NOK 20.9K

$1,285 NOK 12.0K

75.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.1K NOK 112.9K

$6,490 NOK 60.4K

86.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,880 NOK 64.0K

$4,779 NOK 44.5K

43.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,469 NOK 41.6K

$4,667 NOK 43.4K

-4.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Oslo: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,079 in Oslo and $1,239 in Tonsberg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tonsberg pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $127 in Oslo vs $107 in Tonsberg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $518 vs $492 per month, with Tonsberg cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Oslo vs Tonsberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tonsberg is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Tonsberg. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,079 in Oslo versus $1,239 in Tonsberg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,482 per month in Oslo versus $2,702 in Tonsberg – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tonsberg runs roughly 2% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Tonsberg is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Tonsberg is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Oslo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Oslo and Tonsberg are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Tonsberg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.