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: $2,531 in Sarpsborg versus $3,188 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,800 in Sarpsborg versus $4,644 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,068 in Sarpsborg versus $6,099 in Oslo.

Living in Sarpsborg costs roughly 21% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sarpsborg 90% above, Oslo 140% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$38.33 NOK 368

$25.21 NOK 242

52.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.9 NOK 891

$123 NOK 1,183

-24.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.37 NOK 176

$15.39 NOK 148

19.36%

Cappuccino

$5.45 NOK 52.3

$4.86 NOK 46.65

12.14%

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

$2.74 NOK 26.26

$4.22 NOK 40.51

-35.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 NOK 23.96

$3.32 NOK 31.83

-24.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 NOK 56.8

$12.23 NOK 117

-51.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 NOK 75.3

$11.04 NOK 106

-28.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 21.60

$2.33 NOK 22.31

-3.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 NOK 32.87

$4.18 NOK 40.14

-17.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 31.69

$3.56 NOK 34.14

-7.30%

Eggs

$4.35 NOK 41.68

$4.93 NOK 47.28

-11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 NOK 113

$13.33 NOK 128

-11.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.83 NOK 142

$16.54 NOK 159

-10.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.38 NOK 263

$31.01 NOK 297

-11.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.89

$3.57 NOK 34.22

-1.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 NOK 23.86

$2.52 NOK 24.16

-1.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 NOK 31.78

$3.29 NOK 31.58

0.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 NOK 42.21

$4.97 NOK 47.69

-11.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 NOK 23.51

$2.44 NOK 23.45

0.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 24.60

$2.65 NOK 25.43

-3.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 NOK 26.52

$2.78 NOK 26.68

-0.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 NOK 17.41

$2.32 NOK 22.25

-21.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.07 NOK 145

$17.05 NOK 164

-11.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 NOK 160

$18.64 NOK 179

-10.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 NOK 31.48

$3.45 NOK 33.08

-4.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 NOK 38.21

$4.33 NOK 41.58

-8.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 NOK 24.12

$4.13 NOK 39.65

-39.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.1 NOK 701

$79.1 NOK 758

-7.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.02 NOK 96.1

$10.04 NOK 96.4

-0.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.93

$1.44 NOK 13.80

0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.91 NOK 450

$42.41 NOK 407

10.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 NOK 19.92

$2.18 NOK 20.88

-4.59%

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

$36.1K NOK 346.1K

$35.9K NOK 344.6K

0.45%

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

$39.2K NOK 376.1K

$42.5K NOK 407.2K

-7.64%

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

$238 NOK 2,282

$295 NOK 2,830

-19.35%

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

$38.73 NOK 372

$30.62 NOK 294

26.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 NOK 529

$55.2 NOK 530

-0.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.40 NOK 474

$55.7 NOK 534

-11.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.87 NOK 334

$28.35 NOK 272

23.00%

Cinema Ticket

$16.78 NOK 161

$18.46 NOK 177

-9.10%

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

$288 NOK 2,761

$265 NOK 2,539

8.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 97.0K

$14.8K NOK 142.2K

-31.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.4 NOK 915

$103 NOK 989

-7.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 NOK 506

$64.9 NOK 623

-18.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NOK 1,021

$121 NOK 1,160

-12.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 NOK 1,449

$164 NOK 1,576

-8.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 NOK 11.4K

$1,676 NOK 16.1K

-28.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 NOK 8,493

$1,415 NOK 13.6K

-37.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 NOK 14.7K

$2,748 NOK 26.4K

-44.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 NOK 12.4K

$2,158 NOK 20.7K

-40.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,754 NOK 55.2K

$11.6K NOK 111.7K

-50.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,063 NOK 39.0K

$7,087 NOK 68.0K

-42.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,612 NOK 25.1K

$4,263 NOK 40.9K

-38.73%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Oslo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,192 in Sarpsborg and $1,676 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 63% 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: $93.0 in Sarpsborg vs $123 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 vs $501 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 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 63% lower in Oslo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,192 in Sarpsborg versus $1,676 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,531 per month in Sarpsborg versus $3,188 in Oslo – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sarpsborg runs roughly 8% 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 26% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.