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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,154 in Redmond, WA versus $2,417 in Hamar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,448 in Redmond, WA versus $3,870 in Hamar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,742 in Redmond, WA versus $5,324 in Hamar.

Living in Redmond, WA is roughly 72% more expensive than in Hamar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Redmond, WA 204% above, Hamar 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.05 $20.05

$21.27 NOK 200

-5.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.1 $81.1

$130 NOK 1,221

-37.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 $11.03

$16.05 NOK 151

-31.28%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$6.13 NOK 57.7

-18.92%

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

$2.44 $2.44

$4.14 NOK 39.05

-41.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$3.35 NOK 31.56

-36.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 $7.03

$12.03 NOK 113

-41.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.86 $7.86

$8.43 NOK 79.4

-6.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$2.51 NOK 23.66

-51.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.81 $4.81

$3.03 NOK 28.54

58.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.13 NOK 20.04

57.75%

Eggs

$5.20 $5.20

$5.90 NOK 55.6

-11.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.17 $18.17

$11.32 NOK 107

60.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 $13.85

$12.64 NOK 119

9.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.32 $23.32

$29.76 NOK 280

-21.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$3.40 NOK 32.05

69.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.66 NOK 25.06

-29.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.18 NOK 29.97

27.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$5.98 NOK 56.3

-24.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.51 NOK 23.69

3.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.54 NOK 23.94

-6.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.13 NOK 20.03

13.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.02 NOK 19.06

28.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.25 $12.25

$19.26 NOK 181

-36.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$16.86 NOK 159

-10.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$3.61 NOK 34.01

-53.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.37 NOK 41.22

-24.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.19 $3.19

$4.68 NOK 44.10

-31.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.8 $90.8

$69.9 NOK 658

29.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 $2.66

$12.00 NOK 113

-77.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.86 NOK 17.52

-10.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.01 $30.01

$71.9 NOK 677

-58.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$2.36 NOK 22.25

-41.95%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$48.5K NOK 457.0K

-24.99%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$46.2K NOK 434.9K

-44.76%

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

$310 $310

$227 NOK 2,137

36.83%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$32.60 NOK 307

112.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.2 $90.2

$56.7 NOK 534

59.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.5 $84.5

$57.8 NOK 544

46.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.38 $40.38

$30.57 NOK 288

32.09%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$19.33 NOK 182

-7.86%

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

$2,762 $2,762

$217 NOK 2,044

1173.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$16.0K NOK 150.5K

94.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 $69.3

$101 NOK 950

-31.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$60.8 NOK 572

-9.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$133 NOK 1,254

-24.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$105 NOK 991

55.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,933 $2,933

$1,235 NOK 11.6K

137.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,483 $2,483

$882 NOK 8,309

181.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,948 $3,948

$1,635 NOK 15.4K

141.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,137 $3,137

$1,540 NOK 14.5K

103.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,208 $7,208

$4,449 NOK 41.9K

62.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,959 $6,959

$3,468 NOK 32.7K

100.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,873 $8,873

$4,256 NOK 40.1K

108.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.27

4.98

25.90%

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

Last update for Redmond, WA: September 13, 2026

Last update for Hamar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,933 in Redmond, WA and $1,235 in Hamar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Redmond, WA pays 109% 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: $81.0 in Redmond, WA vs $130 in Hamar. Groceries flip the comparison at $465 vs $455, with Hamar 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 Hamar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Redmond, WA and Hamar differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($4,154 vs $2,417 including rent). Hamar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 109% 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: $2,933 in Redmond, WA versus $1,235 in Hamar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Redmond, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamar – a meal for two runs $130 versus $81.0 in Redmond, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,417 in Hamar versus $4,154 in Redmond, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Hamar but tight or insufficient in Redmond, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Hamar 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 Hamar 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 Hamar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Redmond, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.