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: $3,880 in Redmond, WA versus $2,379 in Hamar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,377 in Redmond, WA versus $3,737 in Hamar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,875 in Redmond, WA versus $5,095 in Hamar.

Living in Redmond, WA is roughly 63% more expensive than in Hamar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Redmond, WA 192% above, Hamar 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.64 $19.64

$25.39 NOK 240

-22.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 $68.9

$122 NOK 1,154

-43.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$15.27 NOK 145

-20.04%

Cappuccino

$5.84 $5.84

$5.07 NOK 47.93

15.19%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$4.21 NOK 39.84

-41.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$3.18 NOK 30.06

-27.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.69 $7.69

$11.96 NOK 113

-35.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.19 NOK 77.5

-0.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$2.10 NOK 19.89

-36.19%

White Bread (500g)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.84 NOK 26.92

76.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.05 NOK 19.36

114.63%

Eggs

$4.18 $4.18

$5.20 NOK 49.17

-19.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.64 $17.64

$10.42 NOK 98.6

69.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 $10.50

$12.20 NOK 115

-13.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.92 $16.92

$31.13 NOK 295

-45.65%

Apples (1kg)

$8.44 $8.44

$3.44 NOK 32.60

145.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.50 NOK 23.64

9.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.89 NOK 27.31

49.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$5.08 NOK 48.11

2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.38 NOK 22.50

22.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.39 NOK 22.64

21.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.00 NOK 18.92

24.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.89 NOK 17.88

64.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.39 $11.39

$17.40 NOK 165

-34.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$18.04 NOK 171

-15.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$3.52 NOK 33.30

-46.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 $4.23

$4.25 NOK 40.25

-0.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 $3.20

$4.48 NOK 42.44

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.8 $90.8

$64.5 NOK 610

40.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 $2.61

$9.97 NOK 94.4

-73.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.38 NOK 13.09

18.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.51 $29.51

$42.66 NOK 404

-30.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$2.11 NOK 19.93

-44.55%

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

$32.9K $32.9K

$35.9K NOK 339.7K

-8.49%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$43.2K NOK 409.0K

-40.47%

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

$263 $263

$218 NOK 2,067

20.30%

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

$60.7 $60.7

$31.47 NOK 298

92.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.4 $74.4

$56.2 NOK 532

32.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 $68.7

$55.7 NOK 527

23.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.97 NOK 265

Cinema Ticket

$16.19 $16.19

$18.02 NOK 171

-10.16%

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

$2,270 $2,270

$203 NOK 1,917

1020.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.0K $29.0K

$14.6K NOK 138.3K

98.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 $51.8

$106 NOK 1,000

-50.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 $52.9

$60.4 NOK 572

-12.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 $88.7

$121 NOK 1,146

-26.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$103 NOK 974

38.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,259 $2,259

$1,160 NOK 11.0K

94.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,240 $2,240

$824 NOK 7,795

171.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,791 $3,791

$1,496 NOK 14.2K

153.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,487 $3,487

$1,445 NOK 13.7K

141.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,174 $7,174

$4,211 NOK 39.8K

70.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,884 $6,884

$3,448 NOK 32.6K

99.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,103 $9,103

$4,111 NOK 38.9K

121.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.08

28.74%

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

Last update for Redmond, WA: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hamar: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,259 in Redmond, WA and $1,160 in Hamar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Redmond, WA pays 121% 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: $69.0 in Redmond, WA vs $122 in Hamar. Groceries flip the comparison at $466 vs $438, 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 63% in total monthly costs ($3,880 vs $2,379 including rent). Hamar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 121% 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: $2,259 in Redmond, WA versus $1,160 in Hamar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% 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 $122 versus $69.0 in Redmond, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Hamar is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 63% less than in Redmond, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.