Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Tromso Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Tromso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,141 in Oslo versus $2,929 in Tromso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,597 in Oslo versus $4,342 in Tromso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,053 in Oslo versus $5,756 in Tromso.

Living in Oslo is roughly 7% more expensive than Tromso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 134% above, Tromso 119% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.53 NOK 237

$32.45 NOK 301

-21.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,138

$121 NOK 1,124

1.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.15 NOK 141

$15.08 NOK 140

0.46%

Cappuccino

$4.86 NOK 45.18

$6.17 NOK 57.4

-21.23%

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

$4.08 NOK 37.95

$4.58 NOK 42.52

-10.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NOK 29.65

$3.44 NOK 31.97

-7.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.02 NOK 112

$11.21 NOK 104

7.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.22 NOK 104

$11.08 NOK 103

1.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 NOK 22.24

$2.42 NOK 22.45

-1.24%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 NOK 37.98

$3.17 NOK 29.42

29.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 NOK 34.02

$3.28 NOK 30.46

11.59%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 46.77

$4.92 NOK 45.72

2.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.46 NOK 125

$11.34 NOK 105

18.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.04 NOK 149

$15.48 NOK 144

3.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.76 NOK 286

$37.09 NOK 345

-17.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 NOK 32.47

$3.92 NOK 36.42

-10.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 24.41

$2.88 NOK 26.78

-8.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 NOK 31.16

$3.75 NOK 34.82

-10.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 NOK 47.96

$5.12 NOK 47.54

0.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 NOK 22.58

$3.08 NOK 28.65

-21.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.21

$3.63 NOK 33.72

-25.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.48

$2.69 NOK 24.98

5.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 NOK 21.73

$1.70 NOK 15.80

37.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.19 NOK 160

$15.05 NOK 140

14.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 NOK 176

$19.06 NOK 177

-0.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.12

$3.64 NOK 33.78

-7.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 NOK 40.67

$4.54 NOK 42.14

-3.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.31 NOK 40.00

$4.79 NOK 44.49

-10.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 NOK 723

$59.6 NOK 553

30.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 NOK 93.3

$12.88 NOK 120

-22.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 12.86

$1.13 NOK 10.46

22.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.24 NOK 392

$52.1 NOK 484

-18.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.24

$2.11 NOK 19.63

3.32%

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

$36.5K NOK 338.8K

$32.6K NOK 302.8K

11.91%

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

$42.7K NOK 396.5K

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

19.34%

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

$304 NOK 2,821

$245 NOK 2,279

23.76%

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

$31.63 NOK 294

$48.71 NOK 453

-35.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 NOK 530

$77.2 NOK 717

-26.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 NOK 537

$47.87 NOK 445

20.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.64 NOK 266

$39.54 NOK 367

-27.57%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 NOK 167

$16.73 NOK 155

7.65%

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

$274 NOK 2,543

$336 NOK 3,118

-18.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NOK 135.1K

$7,362 NOK 68.4K

97.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 NOK 983

$87.7 NOK 815

20.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.4 NOK 608

$33.00 NOK 307

98.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,152

$131 NOK 1,215

-5.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,564

$135 NOK 1,258

24.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 NOK 15.5K

$1,348 NOK 12.5K

24.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 NOK 13.4K

$1,268 NOK 11.8K

14.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,749 NOK 25.5K

$2,614 NOK 24.3K

5.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,165 NOK 20.1K

$1,853 NOK 17.2K

16.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K NOK 111.7K

$9,264 NOK 86.1K

29.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,295 NOK 67.8K

$5,545 NOK 51.5K

31.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,411 NOK 41.0K

$4,243 NOK 39.4K

3.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

4.27

18.97%

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

Last update for Oslo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tromso: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,671 in Oslo and $1,348 in Tromso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $122 in Oslo vs $121 in Tromso. Groceries flip the comparison at $500 vs $502, with Oslo cheaper for home cooking.

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 Tromso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tromso is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Oslo pays 4% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,671 in Oslo versus $1,348 in Tromso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,141 per month in Oslo versus $2,929 in Tromso – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tromso runs roughly 31% 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 $2,000. Tromso is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Tromso 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 Tromso 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 Tromso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.