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: $2,561 in Sarpsborg versus $3,167 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,771 in Sarpsborg versus $4,598 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,982 in Sarpsborg versus $6,029 in Oslo.

Living in Sarpsborg costs roughly 19% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sarpsborg 91% above, Oslo 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.65 NOK 357

$25.05 NOK 238

50.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 NOK 876

$121 NOK 1,145

-23.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.53 NOK 176

$15.29 NOK 145

21.19%

Cappuccino

$5.28 NOK 50.1

$5.01 NOK 47.58

5.39%

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

$2.68 NOK 25.40

$4.22 NOK 40.04

-36.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 NOK 24.70

$3.33 NOK 31.62

-21.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 NOK 55.9

$11.97 NOK 114

-50.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.79 NOK 73.9

$11.28 NOK 107

-30.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 NOK 21.41

$2.29 NOK 21.75

-1.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 NOK 31.18

$4.12 NOK 39.10

-20.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 NOK 29.85

$3.60 NOK 34.19

-12.78%

Eggs

$4.37 NOK 41.52

$5.15 NOK 48.87

-15.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 NOK 113

$13.37 NOK 127

-10.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.93 NOK 142

$16.54 NOK 157

-9.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.14 NOK 267

$31.78 NOK 302

-11.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.19

$3.55 NOK 33.66

1.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 NOK 23.46

$2.60 NOK 24.69

-5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 NOK 31.54

$3.42 NOK 32.50

-2.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 NOK 41.26

$4.97 NOK 47.21

-12.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 NOK 23.58

$2.56 NOK 24.29

-3.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 NOK 23.67

$2.67 NOK 25.36

-6.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.37

$2.78 NOK 26.35

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 NOK 17.24

$2.39 NOK 22.73

-23.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.31 NOK 145

$16.92 NOK 161

-9.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.10 NOK 181

$19.07 NOK 181

0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 NOK 32.24

$3.46 NOK 32.83

-1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 NOK 37.88

$4.23 NOK 40.15

-5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 NOK 23.40

$4.16 NOK 39.48

-40.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 NOK 703

$79.0 NOK 750

-6.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 NOK 96.3

$10.08 NOK 95.7

0.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.30

$1.45 NOK 13.76

-3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.99 NOK 437

$42.60 NOK 404

7.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 NOK 20.32

$2.18 NOK 20.69

-1.83%

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

$36.1K NOK 342.9K

$36.8K NOK 349.4K

-1.84%

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

$38.6K NOK 366.1K

$41.9K NOK 397.5K

-7.91%

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

$238 NOK 2,263

$301 NOK 2,857

-20.80%

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

$38.10 NOK 362

$31.61 NOK 300

20.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 NOK 532

$56.3 NOK 534

-0.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 NOK 476

$56.2 NOK 533

-10.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.13 NOK 343

$29.38 NOK 279

22.97%

Cinema Ticket

$16.31 NOK 155

$18.20 NOK 173

-10.38%

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

$284 NOK 2,692

$273 NOK 2,587

4.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 95.8K

$15.0K NOK 142.3K

-32.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.6 NOK 926

$102 NOK 966

-4.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 NOK 501

$64.9 NOK 616

-18.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 NOK 1,033

$122 NOK 1,155

-10.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 NOK 1,421

$167 NOK 1,590

-10.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 NOK 11.5K

$1,738 NOK 16.5K

-30.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 NOK 8,572

$1,422 NOK 13.5K

-36.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 NOK 14.2K

$2,689 NOK 25.5K

-44.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 NOK 12.5K

$2,122 NOK 20.1K

-37.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,022 NOK 57.2K

$11.7K NOK 110.8K

-48.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,474 NOK 42.5K

$7,097 NOK 67.4K

-36.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,685 NOK 25.5K

$4,357 NOK 41.4K

-38.36%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Oslo: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,209 in Sarpsborg and $1,738 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 62% 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: $92.0 in Sarpsborg vs $121 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $457 vs $506 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 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Oslo earns 62% less. 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: $1,209 in Sarpsborg versus $1,738 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,561 per month in Sarpsborg versus $3,167 in Oslo – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sarpsborg runs roughly 7% 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 24% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.