NO flag
Oslo

Norway

vs
NO flag
Tromsø

Norway

Climate

Oslo logs 135 sunny days a year to Tromsø's 71 — Oslo wins by 64. Oslo also leads on frost days by 28.

OsloTromsø
Sunny days
13571
Hot days
00
Frost days
138166
Rain days
105151
Snow days
3680
Outdoor dinner months
3/120/12
Avg wind
2.5 m/s2.4 m/s
Sunshine hours
1,7051,113
Darkest month sun
14 hrs/mo0 hrs/mo
UV peak month
4.12.4

Oslo

Feels-like °C

-10
-8
-1
5
12
20
19
17
12
3
-3
-10

Dinner outside

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Tromsø

Feels-like °C

-18
-14
-9
0
6
12
16
12
5
-4
-10
-17

Dinner outside

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Cost of Living

Tromsø is $375/mo cheaper

Oslo runs about $4,254/mo for a balanced lifestyle against Tromsø's $3,879/mo — Tromsø comes in $375 cheaper each month, roughly 10% less.

Oslo

$4,254

monthly · balanced

Minimalist $3,196Comfort $6,522
Top 96%in Among 217 Europe cities

Tromsø

$3,879

monthly · balanced

Minimalist $2,949Comfort $6,029
Top 95%in Among 217 Europe cities

Mobility

On mobility, Oslo scores 3.6 vs Tromsø's 2.8 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on public transit. Tromsø still holds an edge on car efficiency.

3.6/5
vs
2.8/5
OsloTromsø
WalkabilityTransitCyclingFlightsAirport
WalkabilityCyclingCar EfficiencyAirport
Oslo leads

Culture

Oslo's culture score of 3.9 sits well above Tromsø's 2.0, with the biggest gap on arts & culture.

3.9/5
vs
2.0/5
OsloTromsø
ArtsHistoryTheatreVenuesNightlife
Oslo leads

Nature & Outdoors

Oslo and Tromsø score neck-and-neck on nature & outdoors (4.8 vs 4.7, 0–5 scale).

4.8/5
vs
4.7/5
OsloTromsø
SeaMountainsForestGreen AreasLakesRunningHikingCampingBeachDivingSkiingClimbing
SeaMountainsGreen AreasLakesRunningHikingCampingDivingSkiingClimbing
Oslo leads

Safety

Tromsø's safety score of 5.0 sits well above Oslo's 4.6, with the biggest gap on walking safety.

4.6/5
vs
5.0/5
Tromsø leads

Career

Oslo's career score of 4.0 sits well above Tromsø's 2.1, with the biggest gap on startup ecosystem.

4.0/5
vs
2.1/5
OsloTromsø
JobsEconomyStartupsCoworking
Oslo leads

Social & Community

Oslo's social & community score of 3.0 sits well above Tromsø's 2.6, with the biggest gap on expat-first community. Tromsø still holds an edge on local-first community.

3.0/5
vs
2.6/5
OsloTromsø
Everyday EnglishExpat-First CommunityMulticultural MixUrban EnergyGovernment Immigration FriendlinessAdmin English Support
Everyday EnglishLocal-First CommunityGovernment Immigration FriendlinessAdmin English Support
Oslo leads

Food & Dining

On food & dining, Oslo scores 3.4 vs Tromsø's 1.8 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on brunch availability.

3.4/5
vs
1.8/5
OsloTromsø
RestaurantsBrunchVeganDelivery
Oslo leads

Family

On family, Oslo scores 3.7 vs Tromsø's 1.8 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on international schools.

3.7/5
vs
1.8/5
OsloTromsø
Intl SchoolsUniversitiesAmenitiesSportPlaygroundsGroceriesGymYogaSpa
PlaygroundsGroceriesGym
Oslo leads

Healthcare

On healthcare, Oslo scores 3.7 vs Tromsø's 3.1 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on private healthcare quality.

3.7/5
vs
3.1/5
OsloTromsø
Public HealthcarePrivate Healthcare
Public Healthcare
Oslo leads

Air Quality

Oslo averages 6.5 µg/m³ (good) PM2.5 annually versus Tromsø's 3.4 µg/m³ (excellent) — Tromsø breathes ~47% cleaner air (3.0 µg/m³ lower).

Oslo

Tromsø

6.5µg/m³
3.4µg/m³

PM2.5 annual average

Good
Excellent

WHO classification

City Scale

Both maps at the same real-world scale — 1 cm on either map is the same distance.

Oslo (890K) and Tromsø (54K) are 17x in population — Oslo is the larger metro, Tromsø the smaller; on land area Oslo spans roughly 7.9x more ground.

11x

Oslo is roughly 11x the scale of Tromsø

Combined population & area comparison

NO flagOslo
11x
NO flagTromsø
1x

City Scale Rankings

Population
1.NO flagOslo890K17x
2.NO flagTromsø54K1x
Area
1.NO flagOslo244 km²7.9x
2.NO flagTromsø31 km²1x
© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
30 km24 km

NO flagOslo

© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
7.1 km9.3 km

NO flagTromsø

Who Thrives Here

Frequently asked about Oslo vs Tromsø

Which is cheaper, Oslo or Tromsø?
Tromsø is approximately $375 per month cheaper. Oslo averages $4,254/mo while Tromsø averages $3,879/mo.
How does the climate compare between Oslo and Tromsø?
Sunny days: 135 vs 71 d — Oslo higher Annual sunshine: 1,705 vs 1,113 hrs — Oslo higher Winter sunshine: 14 vs 0 hrs/day — Similar Hot days (>30°C): 0 vs 0 d — Similar Frost days: 138 vs 166 d — Oslo lower Rainy days: 105 vs 151 d — Oslo lower Snowy days: 36 vs 80 d — Oslo lower
Is Oslo or Tromsø safer?
Both cities have similar safety profiles, scoring around 4.6/5 on our aggregate safety index covering street safety, property crime, and natural hazards.
Should I move to Oslo or Tromsø?
Oslo and Tromsø are both popular relocation destinations with distinct characteristics. Tromsø is generally more affordable, while Oslo may offer different lifestyle advantages. The best choice depends on your priorities — climate preferences, career opportunities, cost constraints, and lifestyle needs. Take the personalized quiz to find your ideal match, or explore the map to compare cities by region and lifestyle factors.

The best city depends on what matters to you

This comparison shows how Oslo and Tromsø stack up on the data. But your climate preferences, budget, career needs, and lifestyle priorities can shift the picture entirely. A personalized diagnostic finds what fits your life.

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