How much do you need to earn to live here, after Norway takes its share?
Here's the gross monthly salary that covers rent, food, transport, and utilities once Norway's tax system has taken its cut. (2026)
The floor in Oslo is roughly kr28,701/month gross, on a lean budget.
For something that feels comfortable, think kr39,426/month gross (kr30,950 net after ~22% tax).
| Expense | Budget | Comfortable | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1BR) | kr13,000 Cheapest neighborhood (Tøyen) | kr18,500 Median neighborhood | kr20,000 Premium neighborhood (Frogner) |
| Groceries | kr4,500 | kr5,400 | kr6,750 |
| Transport | kr850 | kr850 | kr850 |
| Utilities | kr2,000 | kr2,000 | kr2,000 |
| Dining & Entertainment | kr3,500 | kr4,200 | kr5,250 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | kr23,850 | kr30,950 | kr34,850 |
kr28,701/month gross
kr39,426/month gross
kr45,318/month gross
Second-hand 1BR rents across 5 neighborhoods in Oslo.
Tøyen
8 min by metro
kr13,000 - kr16,000
Grünerløkka
10 min by tram
kr15,000 - kr19,000
Majorstuen
8 min by metro
kr16,000 - kr21,000
Frogner
12 min by tram
kr17,000 - kr23,000
Sentrum
0 min by walk
kr16,000 - kr22,000
Majorstuen
8 min by metro
kr16,000 - kr21,000
All 5 neighborhoods, the full expense sheet, and what you could save.
Explore OsloPlug in what you'd really earn. Get your take-home pay, neighborhoods within reach, and monthly savings.
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We add up monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then work backwards to find the gross salary that lands on that number after Norway's income tax and social contributions. Rent data reflects second-hand listings, which is what expats actually pay. All figures come from 2026 official government statistics. Full attribution lives on our data sources page.
On a budget lifestyle, you need at least kr28,701/month gross salary to cover basic expenses in Oslo. For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for kr39,426/month gross. These figures include rent, food, transport, utilities, and dining out, with taxes calculated for Norway.
The average 1-bedroom rent across 5 neighborhoods in Oslo is approximately kr17,800/month. Rents range from kr13,000 in Tøyen to kr23,000 in Frogner.
Monthly groceries for a single person in Oslo cost approximately kr4,500. This covers basic home cooking. Dining out and premium food will add to this budget.
Tax rates in Norway are progressive. At the budget salary level of kr28,701/month, the effective tax rate is approximately 17%. At the comfortable level of kr39,426/month, it rises to approximately 22%. This includes income tax and social contributions.