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 $2,643 per month in United States vs $2,426 in Norway, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $3,692 in Norway, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,070 per month in United States vs $4,958 in Norway, rent included.

United States costs about 9% more than 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 97%, Norway by 81%.

United States has a wider regional cost range ($1,343–$5,081) than Norway ($1,960–$3,141), so location matters more when choosing where to live in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$24.03 NOK 223

-16.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$101 NOK 937

-24.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$15.05 NOK 140

-24.12%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$5.02 NOK 46.67

7.37%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$3.50 NOK 32.53

-27.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.91 NOK 27.06

-29.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$11.11 NOK 103

-44.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$10.08 NOK 93.7

-28.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.25 NOK 20.91

-53.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.40 NOK 31.62

7.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.29 NOK 30.53

43.77%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$4.63 NOK 43.00

-5.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$12.33 NOK 115

3.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$15.32 NOK 142

-18.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$29.66 NOK 276

-44.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$3.38 NOK 31.38

60.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.53 NOK 23.48

-34.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.21 NOK 29.86

42.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$4.69 NOK 43.60

4.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.37 NOK 22.00

23.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.63 NOK 24.41

19.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.79 NOK 25.93

-19.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.29 NOK 21.30

0.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$15.91 NOK 148

-37.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$18.10 NOK 168

-16.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$3.49 NOK 32.43

-45.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$4.28 NOK 39.79

-14.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$4.36 NOK 40.52

-43.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$78.0 NOK 725

-16.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$12.03 NOK 112

-68.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.51 NOK 14.00

16.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$54.5 NOK 506

-43.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$2.24 NOK 20.80

-57.14%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$37.3K NOK 346.9K

-18.37%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$40.1K NOK 372.7K

-34.25%

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

$204 $204

$251 NOK 2,330

-18.59%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$39.72 NOK 369

44.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$61.3 NOK 569

16.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$49.86 NOK 463

-6.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$34.62 NOK 322

-36.11%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$15.88 NOK 147

-12.85%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$303 NOK 2,817

356.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$8,477 NOK 78.8K

167.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$99.5 NOK 925

-46.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$52.6 NOK 488

-17.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$114 NOK 1,062

-20.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$153 NOK 1,420

-25.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$1,286 NOK 11.9K

37.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$969 NOK 9,005

50.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$2,002 NOK 18.6K

41.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$1,602 NOK 14.9K

50.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$6,868 NOK 63.8K

-52.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$5,146 NOK 47.8K

-48.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$4,118 NOK 38.3K

6.34%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Norway: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,637 in United States vs $1,199 in Norway. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,591 in Washington, DC and $1,671 in Oslo.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $3,981 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 13% higher 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 26% 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 26% 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.