Helsinki or Oslo: which is better?
World city: head-to-head comparison
Oslo wins on more indicators: 2 of 5 against 1.
- Climate and risks: Oslo 1:2
All indicators weigh the same. This is a score based on data, not advice on where to live: different people have different circumstances.
Helsinki
Indicator
Oslo
Population
no winnerCity population
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
558,457 people
GeoNames snapshot (all-the-cities 3.1.0 package, 2022), exact date not stated
580,000 people
GeoNames snapshot (all-the-cities 3.1.0 package, 2022), exact date not stated
Urban centre population
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
1,001,125 people
2025
889,573 people
2025
Urban centre area
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
381 km²
2025
244 km²
2025
Urban centre density
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
2,628 people per km²
2025
3,646 people per km²
2025
Urban centre population growth, 2015–2025
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
3.3 %
2015–2025
11.6 %
2015–2025
Climate and risks
Better: Oslo (1 : 2)Hot days (max ≥ +30 °C)
lower is better
✓1 days per year
2016-202582% lower
✗3 days per year
2016-2025460% higher
Frost days (min ≤ −10 °C)
lower is better
✗17 days per year
2016-202554% higher
✓11 days per year
2016-202535% lower
Severe frost (min ≤ −20 °C)
lower is better
✗1.0 days per year
2016-2025900% higher
✓0.1 days per year
2016-202590% lower
Ice days (max ≤ 0 °C)
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
38 days per year
2016-2025
38 days per year
2016-2025
Heating degree days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
3,950 °C·days per year
2016-2025
3,777 °C·days per year
2016-2025
Cooling degree days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
96 °C·days per year
2016-2025
90 °C·days per year
2016-2025
Rainy days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
112 days per year
2016-2025
119 days per year
2016-2025
Annual precipitation
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
680 mm per year
2016-2025
867 mm per year
2016-2025
Daylight on December 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
5.8 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
5.9 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Daylight on June 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
18.9 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
18.8 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Air humidity
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
79 %
2021-2025
76 %
2021-2025
Muggy days (dew point ≥ +20 °C)
tie
0 days per year
2021-2025
0 days per year
2021-2025
Distance to the sea
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
1 km
2006-2025
18 km
2006-2025
Earthquakes M4.5+ within 100 km
tie
0.00 per year
2006-2025
0.00 per year
2006-2025
A winner is named only for indicators with a known “better / worse” direction. Population and other neutral indicators are shown without a winner. Outdated and missing values are not counted. Details for each place: Helsinki, Oslo.