Cost of Living: New York vs Norway (Oslo)
How expensive is Norway compared with New York City? The national price level of everyday spending versus the New York metro area, and the salary — in US dollars and NOK — that buys the same standard of living.
Salary converter
Before taxes. Income tax, sales tax and benefits differ a lot between places and aren’t included.
The numbers
- Cities
- Oslo
- Price level vs US average
- 96.2 (New York metro: 112.6)
- Exchange rate (2025 avg.)
- 1 USD = 10.4 NOK
- Purchasing-power parity
- 1 USD of US-average spending ≈ 10.0 NOK
- Source
- World Bank, PPP conversion factor for private consumption ÷ exchange rate (2025); New York: BEA 2024
⚠️ This is Norway’s national average. Major cities — especially Oslo — are usually more expensive, mostly because of rent, so treat this as a lower bound for big-city living.
Frequently asked questions
Is Norway cheaper than New York?
Yes. Norway is 15% cheaper than the New York metro area overall (index 85, New York = 100).
What salary in Norway equals $100,000 in New York?
About $85,468 a year (about NOK 888,509 at purchasing-power parity) buys the same standard of living in Norway as $100,000 in the New York metro area, before taxes.
Is Oslo more expensive than Norway’s national average?
Usually, yes. The comparison here uses Norway’s national average price level; large cities such as Oslo typically cost more than the national figure, especially for rent.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank price levels of household consumption for 2025 (purchasing power parity conversion factor divided by the market exchange rate), compared with BEA’s 2024 figure for the New York metro area.