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: $3,203 in Oslo versus $2,965 in Tromso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,686 in Oslo versus $4,410 in Tromso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,170 in Oslo versus $5,854 in Tromso.

Living in Oslo is roughly 8% more expensive than in Tromso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 140% above, Tromso 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 NOK 245

$33.12 NOK 320

-23.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,164

$121 NOK 1,166

-0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.96 NOK 145

$14.95 NOK 144

0.07%

Cappuccino

$5.08 NOK 49.07

$6.11 NOK 59.1

-16.86%

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

$4.10 NOK 39.66

$4.51 NOK 43.63

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NOK 30.85

$3.36 NOK 32.46

-5.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.37 NOK 120

$11.31 NOK 109

9.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.03 NOK 107

$11.00 NOK 106

0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 23.24

$2.49 NOK 24.11

-3.61%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 NOK 39.00

$3.19 NOK 30.85

26.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 NOK 35.50

$3.47 NOK 33.55

5.76%

Eggs

$4.95 NOK 47.82

$4.86 NOK 47.00

1.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.66 NOK 132

$11.61 NOK 112

17.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.41 NOK 159

$15.21 NOK 147

7.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.39 NOK 303

$37.68 NOK 364

-16.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.85

$3.86 NOK 37.27

-6.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 25.44

$2.81 NOK 27.19

-6.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 33.39

$3.56 NOK 34.46

-3.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 NOK 48.98

$5.16 NOK 49.84

-1.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 24.22

$2.98 NOK 28.85

-15.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 26.22

$3.56 NOK 34.41

-23.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.83

$2.68 NOK 25.93

3.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NOK 23.25

$1.75 NOK 16.94

37.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.46 NOK 169

$15.11 NOK 146

15.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 NOK 180

$18.35 NOK 177

1.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.41 NOK 33.00

$3.64 NOK 35.14

-6.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 NOK 42.06

$4.55 NOK 43.94

-4.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 NOK 40.44

$4.69 NOK 45.31

-10.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.6 NOK 769

$59.5 NOK 575

33.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 NOK 98.6

$12.71 NOK 123

-19.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 NOK 13.60

$1.09 NOK 10.51

29.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.75 NOK 404

$50.8 NOK 491

-17.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.96

$2.23 NOK 21.59

1.79%

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

$36.7K NOK 354.3K

$33.1K NOK 319.8K

10.80%

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

$42.3K NOK 409.3K

$36.6K NOK 353.6K

15.74%

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

$296 NOK 2,863

$252 NOK 2,434

17.60%

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

$31.29 NOK 302

$47.54 NOK 460

-34.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 NOK 536

$75.9 NOK 733

-26.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 NOK 554

$47.75 NOK 462

20.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.40 NOK 275

$39.56 NOK 382

-28.21%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 NOK 174

$16.45 NOK 159

9.48%

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

$274 NOK 2,653

$334 NOK 3,224

-17.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 141.9K

$7,348 NOK 71.0K

99.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 NOK 999

$91.0 NOK 880

13.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 NOK 623

$33.49 NOK 324

92.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 NOK 1,169

$134 NOK 1,292

-9.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,620

$133 NOK 1,282

26.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 NOK 16.4K

$1,352 NOK 13.1K

25.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 NOK 13.9K

$1,258 NOK 12.2K

14.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,677 NOK 25.9K

$2,549 NOK 24.6K

5.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 NOK 21.1K

$1,815 NOK 17.5K

20.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.5K NOK 111.3K

$8,817 NOK 85.2K

30.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,961 NOK 67.3K

$5,188 NOK 50.1K

34.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,256 NOK 41.1K

$4,066 NOK 39.3K

4.66%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tromso: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,700 in Oslo and $1,352 in Tromso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 5% 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: $120 in Oslo vs $121 in Tromso. Groceries flip the comparison at $505 vs $502, with Tromso 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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Oslo, 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: $1,700 in Oslo versus $1,352 in Tromso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,203 per month in Oslo versus $2,965 in Tromso – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tromso runs roughly 34% 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 8% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.