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: $2,357 in Skien versus $3,482 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,341 in Skien versus $4,887 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,326 in Skien versus $6,292 in Oslo.

Living in Skien costs roughly 32% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Skien 72% above, Oslo 153% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.53 NOK 200

$21.52 NOK 200

0.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 NOK 989

$127 NOK 1,181

-16.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.84 NOK 147

$15.83 NOK 147

0.06%

Cappuccino

$5.47 NOK 50.8

$6.01 NOK 55.8

-8.99%

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

$4.23 NOK 39.25

$4.17 NOK 38.71

1.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 NOK 29.70

$3.43 NOK 31.81

-6.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.01 NOK 112

$11.58 NOK 108

3.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.63 NOK 117

$12.62 NOK 117

0.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NOK 19.24

$2.57 NOK 23.89

-19.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 NOK 36.69

$4.31 NOK 40.04

-8.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 NOK 43.37

$4.59 NOK 42.61

1.74%

Eggs

$5.80 NOK 53.8

$5.96 NOK 55.4

-2.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 NOK 126

$14.97 NOK 139

-9.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.54 NOK 144

$15.70 NOK 146

-1.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 NOK 213

$30.01 NOK 279

-23.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 NOK 31.61

$3.48 NOK 32.33

-2.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 NOK 25.60

$2.67 NOK 24.82

3.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 NOK 32.11

$3.63 NOK 33.67

-4.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 NOK 56.2

$5.97 NOK 55.4

1.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 NOK 22.06

$2.74 NOK 25.48

-13.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 NOK 27.75

$2.94 NOK 27.30

1.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 NOK 28.42

$3.21 NOK 29.80

-4.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NOK 22.78

$2.46 NOK 22.79

-0.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.12 NOK 177

$19.43 NOK 180

-1.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.30 NOK 151

$16.63 NOK 154

-1.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NOK 32.67

$3.46 NOK 32.15

1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 NOK 41.20

$4.29 NOK 39.85

3.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.47 NOK 32.20

$4.95 NOK 46.00

-29.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.24 NOK 448

$83.6 NOK 776

-42.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.14 NOK 103

$12.10 NOK 112

-7.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 NOK 17.75

$1.92 NOK 17.82

-0.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.6 NOK 674

$71.7 NOK 666

1.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 20.89

$2.27 NOK 21.10

-0.88%

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

$48.5K NOK 450.7K

$50.0K NOK 464.3K

-2.93%

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

$43.9K NOK 407.8K

$45.3K NOK 420.2K

-2.95%

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

$97.8 NOK 908

$431 NOK 4,001

-77.30%

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

$33.45 NOK 311

$32.70 NOK 304

2.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 NOK 543

$56.7 NOK 526

3.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 NOK 381

$59.6 NOK 553

-31.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 NOK 268

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 NOK 142

$19.06 NOK 177

-19.73%

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

$244 NOK 2,266

$251 NOK 2,335

-2.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K NOK 148.8K

$15.8K NOK 147.0K

1.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 NOK 585

$103 NOK 952

-38.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 NOK 565

$62.1 NOK 576

-1.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 NOK 842

$138 NOK 1,283

-34.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,495

$161 NOK 1,492

0.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

$2,079 NOK 19.3K

-48.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 NOK 9,168

$1,577 NOK 14.6K

-37.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 NOK 9,751

$3,043 NOK 28.3K

-65.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 NOK 9,017

$2,251 NOK 20.9K

-56.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,603 NOK 33.5K

$12.1K NOK 112.6K

-70.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,179 NOK 29.5K

$6,880 NOK 63.9K

-53.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,293 NOK 39.9K

$4,469 NOK 41.5K

-3.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

4.96

-11.90%

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

Last update for Skien: September 1, 2026

Last update for Oslo: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,080 in Skien and $2,079 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 4% 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: $106 in Skien vs $127 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $481 vs $518 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% 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: $1,080 in Skien versus $2,079 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,357 per month in Skien versus $3,482 in Oslo – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Skien runs roughly 73% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,357 in Skien versus $3,482 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 48% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.