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: $2,282 in Skien versus $3,141 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,202 in Skien versus $4,597 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,122 in Skien versus $6,053 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 70% above, Oslo 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.96 NOK 269

$25.53 NOK 237

13.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 NOK 935

$123 NOK 1,138

-17.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.26 NOK 123

$15.15 NOK 141

-12.48%

Cappuccino

$4.88 NOK 45.35

$4.86 NOK 45.18

0.41%

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

$2.47 NOK 22.94

$4.08 NOK 37.95

-39.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 NOK 20.38

$3.19 NOK 29.65

-31.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.05 NOK 84.0

$12.02 NOK 112

-24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.67 NOK 89.8

$11.22 NOK 104

-13.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 NOK 18.73

$2.39 NOK 22.24

-15.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 NOK 30.67

$4.09 NOK 37.98

-19.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 NOK 29.30

$3.66 NOK 34.02

-13.93%

Eggs

$4.20 NOK 39.01

$5.03 NOK 46.77

-16.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 NOK 106

$13.46 NOK 125

-15.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.22 NOK 132

$16.04 NOK 149

-11.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.44 NOK 236

$30.76 NOK 286

-17.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 NOK 34.89

$3.49 NOK 32.47

7.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 NOK 21.55

$2.63 NOK 24.41

-11.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 30.63

$3.35 NOK 31.16

-1.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 37.36

$5.16 NOK 47.96

-22.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 NOK 21.26

$2.43 NOK 22.58

-5.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NOK 20.07

$2.71 NOK 25.21

-20.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 NOK 27.36

$2.85 NOK 26.48

3.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NOK 17.55

$2.34 NOK 21.73

-19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.86 NOK 175

$17.19 NOK 160

9.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.87 NOK 147

$18.93 NOK 176

-16.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 NOK 30.97

$3.35 NOK 31.12

-0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 NOK 36.67

$4.38 NOK 40.67

-9.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 NOK 25.02

$4.31 NOK 40.00

-37.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.33 NOK 412

$77.9 NOK 723

-43.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$36.08 NOK 335

$10.04 NOK 93.3

259.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 NOK 13.57

$1.38 NOK 12.86

5.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.7 NOK 926

$42.24 NOK 392

135.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 NOK 19.41

$2.18 NOK 20.24

-4.13%

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

$25.7K NOK 238.9K

$36.5K NOK 338.8K

-29.48%

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

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

$42.7K NOK 396.5K

-16.21%

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

$96.6 NOK 897

$304 NOK 2,821

-68.18%

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

$37.34 NOK 347

$31.63 NOK 294

18.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.51 NOK 358

$57.0 NOK 530

-32.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.00 NOK 353

$57.8 NOK 537

-34.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.76 NOK 323

$28.64 NOK 266

21.37%

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 NOK 134

$18.01 NOK 167

-20.10%

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

$312 NOK 2,900

$274 NOK 2,543

14.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 93.9K

$14.5K NOK 135.1K

-30.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.85 NOK 380

$106 NOK 983

-61.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.21 NOK 327

$65.4 NOK 608

-46.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 NOK 862

$124 NOK 1,152

-25.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 NOK 1,421

$168 NOK 1,564

-9.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 NOK 8,931

$1,671 NOK 15.5K

-42.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 NOK 9,291

$1,446 NOK 13.4K

-30.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 NOK 10.2K

$2,749 NOK 25.5K

-59.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$902 NOK 8,381

$2,165 NOK 20.1K

-58.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,561 NOK 33.1K

$12.0K NOK 111.7K

-70.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,271 NOK 30.4K

$7,295 NOK 67.8K

-55.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,269 NOK 39.7K

$4,411 NOK 41.0K

-3.21%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Oslo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $961 in Skien and $1,671 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 3% 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: $101 in Skien vs $122 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $432 vs $500 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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Oslo earns 3% 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: $961 in Skien versus $1,671 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,282 per month in Skien versus $3,141 in Oslo – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Skien runs roughly 76% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,282 in Skien versus $3,141 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 38% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.