Cost of Living Comparison Between Redmond, WA and Arendal Cost of Living Comparison Between Redmond, WA and Arendal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,073 in Redmond, WA versus $2,777 in Arendal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,333 in Redmond, WA versus $3,905 in Arendal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,592 in Redmond, WA versus $5,034 in Arendal.

Living in Redmond, WA is roughly 47% more expensive than in Arendal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Redmond, WA 196% above, Arendal 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.11 $20.11

$20.31 NOK 189

-0.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 $81.5

$67.5 NOK 629

20.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 $11.07

$15.90 NOK 148

-30.38%

Cappuccino

$4.73 $4.73

$5.55 NOK 51.7

-14.77%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$3.60 NOK 33.54

-28.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.41 NOK 31.80

-39.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 $7.08

$11.90 NOK 111

-40.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 $7.93

$12.15 NOK 113

-34.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$2.40 NOK 22.33

-49.58%

White Bread (500g)

$4.84 $4.84

$3.60 NOK 33.58

34.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.95 NOK 36.78

-15.70%

Eggs

$5.28 $5.28

$5.04 NOK 46.95

4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.81 $17.81

$14.87 NOK 139

19.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.10 $14.10

$15.26 NOK 142

-7.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.87 $22.87

$34.60 NOK 322

-33.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$3.61 NOK 33.60

59.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.83 NOK 26.36

-31.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.64 NOK 33.90

7.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.95 NOK 46.14

-8.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.60 NOK 24.26

3.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.15 NOK 29.32

-24.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.78 NOK 25.93

-14.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.35 NOK 21.85

11.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.36 $12.36

$17.77 NOK 166

-30.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$14.84 NOK 138

2.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$3.85 NOK 35.86

-55.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.43 NOK 41.27

-25.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.81 NOK 35.49

-17.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.6 $90.6

$90.9 NOK 847

-0.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 $2.61

$6.40 NOK 59.6

-59.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.75 NOK 16.35

-6.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.63 $29.63

$104 NOK 972

-71.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.33 NOK 21.69

-38.63%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$48.4K NOK 450.8K

-25.82%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$42.5K NOK 395.8K

-39.78%

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

$288 $288

$251 NOK 2,337

14.92%

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

$68.8 $68.8

$35.15 NOK 327

95.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.4 $85.4

$80.5 NOK 750

6.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.5 $81.5

$37.73 NOK 352

116.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.46 $40.46

Cinema Ticket

$18.29 $18.29

$15.95 NOK 149

14.67%

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

$2,688 $2,688

$324 NOK 3,021

728.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$14.4K NOK 134.4K

115.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 $68.7

$130 NOK 1,210

-47.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$44.60 NOK 416

21.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$129 NOK 1,206

-22.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 $161

$205 NOK 1,912

-21.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,943 $2,943

$1,141 NOK 10.6K

158.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 $2,490

$1,074 NOK 10.0K

131.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,986 $3,986

$1,623 NOK 15.1K

145.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,162 $3,162

$1,489 NOK 13.9K

112.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,313 $7,313

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,131 $7,131

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,986 $8,986

$4,115 NOK 38.3K

118.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.27

4.68

33.97%

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

Last update for Redmond, WA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Arendal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,943 in Redmond, WA and $1,141 in Arendal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Redmond, WA pays 118% 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: $82.0 in Redmond, WA vs $67.0 in Arendal. Groceries flip the comparison at $465 vs $506, with Redmond, WA 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

Redmond, WA vs Arendal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Redmond, WA and Arendal differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($4,073 vs $2,777 including rent). Arendal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 118% higher in Redmond, WA, 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: $2,943 in Redmond, WA versus $1,141 in Arendal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,688 in Redmond, WA versus $324 in Arendal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Redmond, WA pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,777 in Arendal versus $4,073 in Redmond, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Arendal but tight or insufficient in Redmond, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Arendal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Redmond, WA and Arendal 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 Arendal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Redmond, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.