Rental places in Oslo are competitive, and prices are overall high. High living costs are well-expected across the Scandinavian capitals and Oslo is no different. Once you understand the different neighbourhoods of Oslo, its time to start your search.
Searching for property in Oslo
The most popular search engine for finding rental properties in Oslo is Finn.no. Both private homeowners and rental agents use the platform to advertise rental properties. Use the filter options on the site to narrow the search area to specific neighbourhoods.
Other websites where homeowners post rental properties include rubrikk.no, hybel.no, and various Facebook groups (a good search term to try is ‘til leie i Oslo' or ‘til leie i [area of Oslo]').
Since most sites are available only in Norwegian, it is a good idea to become familiar with some commonly used Norwegian terms.
Here are some essential rental terms to help you find a suitable rental property:
- Hybel: Small housing units often located in the basement of a bigger property or house. A ‘hybel' usually has a combined living/sleeping room with a basic kitchen corner and a small bathroom. The typical size ranges from 10-20m². This type of accommodation is best suited to university students or single professionals.
- Leilighet: A ‘leilighet' is an apartment larger than 25m² with a designated separate bedroom, good-sized kitchen, and own entry.
- Bofelleskap/rom i bofelleskap: It is common for groups of friends or students to rent out larger apartments, with each tenant having their own room and sharing common areas such as the kitchen, bathroom, and living room. This is the most affordable type of accommodation.
- Tomannsbolig: A ‘tomannsbolig' is a house in one building but with two separate living units. The house can be split into units either vertically or horizontally. These are generally larger apartments or two-level units with a small garden area.
Good to know:
In Norway, the living room is counted as a bedroom or ‘soverom'. If a housing advertisement states that it is a two-bedroom apartment, this implies that there are a separate living room and bedroom. One-bedroom apartments do not have a bedroom.
Things to look out for in Oslo
Rental properties in Oslo have different inclusions. There are a few key things to look out for when choosing a rental property.
Utilities
The advertisement will usually state whether utilities such as warm water, electricity, and WiFi/broadband are included. If utilities are not included, ask the landlord or agent about the estimated additional monthly costs.
Many rental properties will require the renter to take out a new subscription in their own name for electricity and WiFi connection. This subscription alone can add a few hundred kroner to your monthly fees in addition to the price of electricity consumption and internet usage. Use the online electricity calculator to see rates and package deals for the area in which you plan to rent a property.
Facilities
Facilities may differ amongst the various accommodation options (row houses, apartment buildings, semi-detached houses, shared apartments, etc.). Here are some facilities to look out for:
- Laundry rooms: Many shared apartments and large apartment blocks have shared laundry facilities in the basement available for common use. If the apartment does not have a washing machine, ask about the availability of laundry facilities.
- Bicycle parking: Depending on the layout of the building, parking for bicycles might be available in the basement or common backyard area.
- Basement stall or ‘bod': Apartments are often rented out with the use of a basement stall for extra storage or bicycle parking.
- Parking: A parking spot is usually not included in the rental of smaller properties. If it is available, there may be an additional monthly fee.
Viewing property in Oslo
Since competition for rental properties is high, many owners will have a viewing of the apartment and choose the most suitable renters afterwards. When expressing interest in a property, it is a good idea to include some information about yourself (age, occupation, country of origin, etc.) to demonstrate that you will be a reliable tenant who is able to pay the rent every month.
Are you thinking about purchasing a property instead? Read our guide to buying property in Oslo.
We do our best to provide accurate and up to date information. However, if you have noticed any inaccuracies in this article, please let us know in the comments section below.
