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: $2,802 in Sarpsborg versus $3,393 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,162 in Sarpsborg versus $4,964 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,521 in Sarpsborg versus $6,535 in Oslo.

Living in Sarpsborg costs roughly 17% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sarpsborg 105% above, Oslo 148% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$40.12 NOK 378

$21.87 NOK 206

83.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 NOK 1,010

$127 NOK 1,200

-15.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.57 NOK 184

$16.35 NOK 154

19.69%

Cappuccino

$5.76 NOK 54.2

$6.18 NOK 58.2

-6.80%

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

$2.90 NOK 27.37

$4.10 NOK 38.67

-29.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 NOK 25.01

$3.45 NOK 32.51

-23.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.82 NOK 83.2

$11.64 NOK 110

-24.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.73 NOK 111

$12.70 NOK 120

-7.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 NOK 22.24

$2.65 NOK 24.98

-10.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 NOK 31.09

$4.12 NOK 38.85

-19.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 NOK 35.40

$4.76 NOK 44.87

-21.01%

Eggs

$5.08 NOK 47.90

$6.14 NOK 57.9

-17.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 NOK 121

$14.66 NOK 138

-12.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.59 NOK 147

$15.39 NOK 145

1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.86 NOK 281

$29.69 NOK 280

0.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 NOK 32.90

$3.44 NOK 32.45

1.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 NOK 26.16

$2.68 NOK 25.25

3.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 33.90

$3.54 NOK 33.37

1.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 NOK 42.58

$6.06 NOK 57.1

-25.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.51

$2.72 NOK 25.66

-4.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 NOK 28.08

$2.88 NOK 27.18

3.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 NOK 29.30

$3.23 NOK 30.43

-3.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 NOK 21.97

$2.55 NOK 23.99

-8.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.68 NOK 185

$19.59 NOK 185

0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.86 NOK 168

$16.63 NOK 157

7.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.61 NOK 34.03

$3.48 NOK 32.75

3.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 NOK 40.74

$4.39 NOK 41.35

-1.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 NOK 25.46

$5.01 NOK 47.22

-46.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 NOK 732

$84.9 NOK 800

-8.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.98 NOK 104

$12.33 NOK 116

-10.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 NOK 18.39

$1.87 NOK 17.59

4.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$73.9 NOK 696

$70.1 NOK 661

5.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.53

$2.27 NOK 21.39

-3.96%

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

$45.0K NOK 423.6K

$50.2K NOK 473.1K

-10.46%

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

$40.2K NOK 378.5K

$45.5K NOK 428.8K

-11.72%

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

$273 NOK 2,571

$425 NOK 4,008

-35.86%

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

$30.00 NOK 283

$33.72 NOK 318

-11.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.3 NOK 559

$57.5 NOK 542

3.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.4 NOK 484

$61.6 NOK 580

-16.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.10 NOK 302

$29.20 NOK 275

9.93%

Cinema Ticket

$16.91 NOK 159

$19.46 NOK 183

-13.10%

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

$253 NOK 2,384

$244 NOK 2,302

3.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K NOK 124.2K

$15.7K NOK 148.0K

-16.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.1 NOK 915

$104 NOK 976

-6.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 NOK 492

$61.1 NOK 576

-14.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 NOK 1,065

$135 NOK 1,273

-16.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 NOK 1,711

$158 NOK 1,492

14.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 NOK 11.8K

$2,026 NOK 19.1K

-37.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 NOK 9,785

$1,568 NOK 14.8K

-33.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 NOK 15.2K

$3,062 NOK 28.9K

-47.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 NOK 13.1K

$2,302 NOK 21.7K

-39.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,265 NOK 59.0K

$12.0K NOK 112.8K

-47.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,159 NOK 39.2K

$6,933 NOK 65.3K

-40.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,721 NOK 25.6K

$4,691 NOK 44.2K

-42.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

4.98

4.02%

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

Last update for Sarpsborg: September 15, 2026

Last update for Oslo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,257 in Sarpsborg and $2,026 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 72% 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: $107 in Sarpsborg vs $127 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $486 vs $516 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 72% 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: $1,257 in Sarpsborg versus $2,026 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,802 per month in Sarpsborg versus $3,393 in Oslo – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sarpsborg runs roughly 9% 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 21% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.