Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarpsborg and Oslo Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarpsborg and Oslo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,496 in Sarpsborg versus $3,200 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,763 in Sarpsborg versus $4,586 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,030 in Sarpsborg versus $5,972 in Oslo.

Living in Sarpsborg costs roughly 22% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sarpsborg 86% above, Oslo 139% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$38.11 NOK 354

$25.54 NOK 238

49.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.2 NOK 885

$120 NOK 1,118

-20.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.27 NOK 170

$15.36 NOK 143

18.95%

Cappuccino

$5.25 NOK 48.85

$5.05 NOK 46.98

3.96%

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

$2.74 NOK 25.44

$4.02 NOK 37.34

-31.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 NOK 23.79

$3.29 NOK 30.59

-22.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.24 NOK 58.1

$12.26 NOK 114

-49.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.89 NOK 73.4

$10.98 NOK 102

-28.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 NOK 20.61

$2.40 NOK 22.30

-7.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 NOK 30.50

$4.11 NOK 38.21

-20.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 NOK 30.86

$3.49 NOK 32.42

-4.87%

Eggs

$4.43 NOK 41.21

$5.17 NOK 48.05

-14.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 NOK 113

$13.55 NOK 126

-10.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.90 NOK 139

$16.39 NOK 152

-9.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.08 NOK 261

$31.41 NOK 292

-10.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.38

$3.54 NOK 32.90

-1.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 NOK 23.07

$2.50 NOK 23.23

-0.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 NOK 31.71

$3.45 NOK 32.11

-1.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 NOK 40.76

$4.95 NOK 46.01

-11.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 NOK 22.76

$2.47 NOK 22.98

-0.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 NOK 23.62

$2.62 NOK 24.36

-3.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 NOK 25.59

$2.85 NOK 26.47

-3.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 NOK 17.86

$2.40 NOK 22.28

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 NOK 139

$17.01 NOK 158

-12.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.21 NOK 179

$18.81 NOK 175

2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 NOK 31.03

$3.47 NOK 32.31

-3.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 NOK 37.91

$4.33 NOK 40.30

-5.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 NOK 23.17

$4.20 NOK 39.02

-40.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.4 NOK 691

$77.8 NOK 724

-4.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.19 NOK 94.8

$10.20 NOK 94.9

-0.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 NOK 12.92

$1.38 NOK 12.82

0.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.55 NOK 442

$42.32 NOK 394

12.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 NOK 18.89

$2.24 NOK 20.84

-9.38%

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

$35.1K NOK 326.0K

$36.1K NOK 335.5K

-2.83%

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

$38.2K NOK 354.9K

$42.8K NOK 397.7K

-10.75%

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

$240 NOK 2,232

$296 NOK 2,748

-18.77%

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

$37.83 NOK 352

$31.62 NOK 294

19.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 NOK 521

$56.2 NOK 522

-0.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.58 NOK 461

$55.8 NOK 519

-11.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.07 NOK 335

$28.63 NOK 266

25.99%

Cinema Ticket

$16.71 NOK 155

$17.98 NOK 167

-7.06%

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

$279 NOK 2,593

$269 NOK 2,503

3.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 93.6K

$14.6K NOK 135.8K

-31.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.6 NOK 898

$102 NOK 947

-5.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 NOK 477

$66.0 NOK 613

-22.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 NOK 1,003

$124 NOK 1,157

-13.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 NOK 1,437

$162 NOK 1,511

-4.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 NOK 11.4K

$1,727 NOK 16.1K

-29.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 NOK 8,404

$1,458 NOK 13.6K

-38.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

$2,710 NOK 25.2K

-44.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 NOK 12.5K

$2,172 NOK 20.2K

-38.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,929 NOK 64.4K

$11.3K NOK 105.1K

-38.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,477 NOK 41.6K

$7,682 NOK 71.4K

-41.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,467 NOK 41.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

5.08

-13.78%

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

Last update for Sarpsborg: April 20, 2026

Last update for Oslo: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,222 in Sarpsborg and $1,727 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $95 in Sarpsborg vs $120 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 vs $504 per month, with Sarpsborg cheaper across the board.

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

Sarpsborg vs Oslo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarpsborg is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,744 in Sarpsborg and $4,800 in Oslo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,222 in Sarpsborg versus $1,727 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,496 per month in Sarpsborg versus $3,200 in Oslo – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sarpsborg runs roughly 5% 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. Sarpsborg is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Sarpsborg 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, Sarpsborg and Oslo 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 Sarpsborg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.