Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Norway Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Norway

Name: Norway
Address: NO

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,642 per month in United States vs $2,428 in Norway, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $3,683 in Norway, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,072 per month in United States vs $4,938 in Norway, rent included.

The cost of living in United States is about 9% higher than in Norway on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both United States and Norway are pricier than the global median – United States by 98%, Norway by 82%.

The regional cost range is wider in United States ($1,335–$5,182) than in Norway ($1,992–$3,203), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$24.51 NOK 236

-19.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$103 NOK 987

-26.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$15.07 NOK 145

-23.22%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$5.20 NOK 50.1

0.38%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$3.52 NOK 33.87

-29.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.91 NOK 28.02

-29.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$11.05 NOK 106

-46.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$9.97 NOK 96.0

-28.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.37 NOK 22.78

-54.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.47 NOK 33.42

2.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$3.36 NOK 32.35

41.07%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$4.48 NOK 43.16

-3.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$12.32 NOK 119

2.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$15.30 NOK 147

-19.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$30.10 NOK 290

-44.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.51 NOK 33.82

47.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.57 NOK 24.72

-33.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.34 NOK 32.19

33.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$4.72 NOK 45.42

1.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.49 NOK 23.99

17.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.67 NOK 25.73

15.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.72 NOK 26.23

-18.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.25 NOK 21.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$16.25 NOK 157

-39.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$17.51 NOK 169

-12.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$3.40 NOK 32.75

-43.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$4.30 NOK 41.44

-16.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$4.33 NOK 41.69

-43.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$79.7 NOK 767

-18.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

$11.99 NOK 115

-68.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.54 NOK 14.82

11.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$54.8 NOK 527

-45.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$2.13 NOK 20.47

-54.93%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$36.8K NOK 354.8K

-18.94%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$40.0K NOK 385.5K

-34.67%

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

$210 $210

$251 NOK 2,418

-16.28%

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

$56.3 $56.3

$40.24 NOK 388

39.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$61.9 NOK 596

17.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 $45.39

$50.3 NOK 484

-9.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.60 $21.60

$34.15 NOK 329

-36.75%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 $14.04

$16.05 NOK 155

-12.52%

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

$1,377 $1,377

$302 NOK 2,910

355.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$8,441 NOK 81.3K

164.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$102 NOK 982

-48.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 $42.41

$51.3 NOK 494

-17.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$116 NOK 1,119

-21.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$155 NOK 1,495

-26.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$1,300 NOK 12.5K

35.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$988 NOK 9,517

48.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$1,997 NOK 19.2K

42.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$1,607 NOK 15.5K

47.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$6,635 NOK 63.9K

-49.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$4,956 NOK 47.7K

-46.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,378 $4,378

$4,020 NOK 38.7K

8.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

4.54

43.39%

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

Last update for United States: July 12, 2026

Last update for Norway: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,635 in United States vs $1,195 in Norway. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,625 in Washington, MI and $1,700 in Oslo.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $3,808 in Norway. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 37% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 34% more in Norway.

Public transport is 192% more expensive in Norway.

Salaries are 18% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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

United States vs Norway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Norway is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 25% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Norway, contributing to the overall 25% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Norway, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Norway is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.