Cost of Living Comparison Between Skien and Oslo Cost of Living Comparison Between Skien and Oslo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,347 in Skien versus $3,203 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,223 in Skien versus $4,686 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,098 in Skien versus $6,170 in Oslo.

Living in Skien costs roughly 27% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Skien 76% above, Oslo 140% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.93 NOK 279

$25.37 NOK 244

14.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.7 NOK 960

$120 NOK 1,160

-17.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.15 NOK 127

$14.96 NOK 144

-12.10%

Cappuccino

$4.94 NOK 47.62

$5.08 NOK 48.89

-2.76%

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

$2.52 NOK 24.29

$4.10 NOK 39.51

-38.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NOK 21.47

$3.19 NOK 30.74

-30.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.22 NOK 88.8

$12.37 NOK 119

-25.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.88 NOK 95.1

$11.03 NOK 106

-10.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 NOK 18.66

$2.40 NOK 23.15

-19.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 NOK 32.87

$4.03 NOK 38.86

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 NOK 32.08

$3.67 NOK 35.37

-9.26%

Eggs

$4.22 NOK 40.61

$4.95 NOK 47.65

-14.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 NOK 112

$13.66 NOK 132

-15.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 NOK 136

$16.41 NOK 158

-13.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.44 NOK 245

$31.39 NOK 302

-18.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 36.11

$3.60 NOK 34.72

4.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 NOK 21.73

$2.63 NOK 25.35

-14.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NOK 31.45

$3.45 NOK 33.27

-5.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 38.72

$5.07 NOK 48.80

-20.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 NOK 21.41

$2.51 NOK 24.14

-11.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 NOK 20.39

$2.71 NOK 26.12

-21.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 NOK 28.87

$2.78 NOK 26.73

7.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NOK 18.24

$2.41 NOK 23.17

-21.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.24 NOK 185

$17.46 NOK 168

10.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 NOK 147

$18.64 NOK 180

-17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 NOK 31.72

$3.41 NOK 32.88

-3.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 NOK 37.16

$4.35 NOK 41.91

-11.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 NOK 25.73

$4.18 NOK 40.29

-36.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.34 NOK 417

$79.6 NOK 766

-45.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$35.68 NOK 344

$10.20 NOK 98.2

249.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.92

$1.41 NOK 13.56

2.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$100 NOK 966

$41.75 NOK 402

140.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.98

$2.27 NOK 21.88

-3.96%

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

$25.6K NOK 246.8K

$36.7K NOK 353.0K

-30.09%

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

$35.6K NOK 343.3K

$42.3K NOK 407.8K

-15.82%

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

$98.7 NOK 950

$296 NOK 2,852

-66.68%

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

$38.06 NOK 367

$31.29 NOK 301

21.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.32 NOK 369

$55.5 NOK 534

-30.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.33 NOK 360

$57.4 NOK 552

-34.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.73 NOK 344

$28.40 NOK 274

25.81%

Cinema Ticket

$13.95 NOK 134

$18.01 NOK 173

-22.54%

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

$307 NOK 2,954

$274 NOK 2,644

11.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K NOK 98.3K

$14.7K NOK 141.4K

-30.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.71 NOK 382

$103 NOK 995

-61.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.38 NOK 341

$64.5 NOK 621

-45.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 NOK 868

$121 NOK 1,164

-25.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,463

$168 NOK 1,614

-9.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 NOK 9,355

$1,700 NOK 16.4K

-42.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 NOK 9,397

$1,441 NOK 13.9K

-32.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 NOK 10.8K

$2,677 NOK 25.8K

-58.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 NOK 8,807

$2,180 NOK 21.0K

-58.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,335 NOK 32.1K

$11.5K NOK 110.9K

-71.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,041 NOK 29.3K

$6,961 NOK 67.1K

-56.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,036 NOK 38.9K

$4,256 NOK 41.0K

-5.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

5.08

-25.20%

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

Last update for Skien: July 12, 2026

Last update for Oslo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $971 in Skien and $1,700 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 5% 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: $100 in Skien vs $120 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $431 vs $505 per month, with Skien 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

Skien vs Oslo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skien is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $971 in Skien versus $1,700 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,347 per month in Skien versus $3,203 in Oslo – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Skien runs roughly 84% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,347 in Skien versus $3,203 in Oslo, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Skien but tight or insufficient in Oslo. The gap between the two cities makes Skien the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Skien 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, Skien 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 Skien gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.