How much does office cleaning cost in 2026? Price per square meter and hour
The prices listed here are approximate starting points for 2026, not a binding quote. What the assignment costs depends on size, condition, and access. You will receive the final price in a specific quote from us – and it is often higher than the lowest estimate. Request a quote for a price that actually applies to your premises.
Office cleaning is a form of commercial cleaning. In 2026, it typically costs NOK 35–75 per square metre per month on a regular agreement, or NOK 450–600 per hour for looser assignments. An office of 300 sq m with cleaning three days a week typically ends up at NOK 10,000–18,000 per month. The price is driven by area, frequency, location, and your quality requirements. Always request an on-site survey before comparing quotes.
What does office cleaning cost per square metre?
The most common pricing model for offices is NOK per square metre per month. For a standard open-plan office with desks, meeting rooms, and shared sanitary facilities, the range is NOK 35–75/sq m/month. A small office of 150 sq m with cleaning twice a week often costs around NOK 6,000–9,000 per month. A medium-sized space of 500 sq m with daily cleaning can exceed NOK 25,000.
These figures are not fixed prices, but typical levels for 2026. In central areas of Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, and Stavanger, prices are usually 10–20% higher than average because wage and rental costs are higher there. A low square-metre rate usually means low frequency or a very simple venue, not necessarily a good quote.
How much does it cost per hour?
When purchasing cleaning without a regular agreement, the price is calculated per hour. An agency typically charges NOK 450–600/hour for office assignments. This includes the cleaner's wages, payroll tax, equipment, insurance, and company profit.
Hourly wages for employees are regulated. For employees over 18 years of age in private cleaning companies, the universally applied minimum wage is NOK 236.54/hour from 15 June 2025. You should inspect any quote well below NOK 400/hour particularly closely regarding scope, registration, and working conditions. Price alone does not show what someone receives in pay or whether the work is legal. An experienced cleaner covers roughly 100–150 sq m per hour during regular cleaning, so hours and surface area are closely linked.
Estimated monthly price by size and frequency
The table shows rough estimates for regular agreements in 2026. Use it to calibrate quotes, not as an exact price list. Central locations add 10–20% on top.
| Office size | 1 day/week | 3 days/week | 5 days/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sq m | NOK 2,500–4,000 | NOK 5,000–8,000 | NOK 7,000–11,000 |
| 300 sq m | NOK 4,500–7,000 | NOK 10,000–16,000 | NOK 15,000–24,000 |
| 500 sq m | NOK 7,000–11,000 | NOK 16,000–26,000 | NOK 24,000–38,000 |
| 1,000 sq m | NOK 12,000–19,000 | NOK 28,000–45,000 | NOK 42,000–65,000 |
Note that the price does not grow directly in proportion to the area. A large office gets a lower price per square metre because the cleaner works continuously and spends less time setting up and moving between tasks.
What affects the price the most?
Four factors determine most of the final amount:
- Frequency. Daily cleaning costs more in total than two days a week, but often less per visit because dirt is not allowed to build up.
- Area and layout. Open-plan spaces are faster to clean than many small cellular offices with narrow corridors.
- Location. City centres in the major cities are 10–20% above rural areas.
- Requirements and content. Daily kitchen dishwashing, frequent window cleaning, floor treatment, or documented INSTA 800 quality increase the price.
In addition, your industry plays a role. A medical practice, a nursery, or a production facility has stricter hygiene requirements than a regular office, and that costs more per square metre.
Regular agreement or hourly rate – which is better value?
For premises you clean regularly, a fixed monthly agreement is almost always worthwhile. You get a predictable price, the same cleaner who gets to know the premises, and an agreed work plan. Per square metre, it is cheaper than ordering by the hour.
An hourly rate is best suited for sporadic needs: a deep clean before moving in, tidying up after renovations, or a one-off assignment you do not want to commit to long-term. If you order hourly every week without an agreement, you usually pay a premium for flexibility you do not need. If you want to read more about how to choose the right partner, see how to choose a cleaning provider.
What is included in a standard office cleaning agreement?
A standard agreement covers the daily and weekly tasks that keep the premises presentable. Typical contents include:
What is actually included depends on the service you order. The list here is a typical starting point, not a definitive answer. Certain tasks – such as window cleaning, floor treatments, special surfaces, or appliances – may be add-ons that must be ordered separately and are not automatically included in every assignment. What applies to your assignment will be specified in the quote and order confirmation. If you are unsure whether something is included, ask us before cleaning day.
- Vacuuming and mopping floors
- Emptying waste and recycling bins
- Cleaning toilets and sanitary facilities
- Wiping touch points: door handles, light switches, handrails
- Cleaning the kitchen and break room, including countertops and the exterior of coffee machines
- Dry and wet mopping of common areas and reception
The following are usually add-ons: window cleaning, floor treatment (stripping and polishing), cleaning of upholstered furniture, deep cleans, and move-out cleaning. Ask for add-ons to be specified in the quote so you avoid surprises on the invoice. A clear work plan with frequencies per task makes it easy to check that you are getting what you pay for.
Why do Renholdsregisteret and INSTA 800 matter for the price?
All cleaning enterprises must apply for approval and have legal status in the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority's Renholdsregisteret. It is illegal to purchase cleaning services from a business that lacks such legal status. Approval requires HMS cards for everyone performing cleaning work, including sole proprietors. Businesses with employees must also have an agreement with an approved occupational health service. Check that the legal status is "Godkjent", "Søknad under behandling", or "HMS-kortbestilling under behandling" before signing, regardless of price, and read more about legal cleaning help and Renholdsregisteret.
NS-INSTA 800 is a Nordic standard that measures achieved cleaning quality using objective criteria, rather than the number of hours spent. It is often used in tenders, frequently alongside ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001. When quality is measurable, you can hold the provider accountable for a result. Agreements with documented quality levels usually cost a bit more than a purely hourly task, but you pay for a verifiable result. That is the difference between hiring "someone to clean" and buying "an office maintained to an agreed standard".
For private homes, many of the same principles apply, but the pricing model is different. If you need move-out cleaning instead, you can find the numbers in our guide on what move-out cleaning costs.
How to get a quote you can trust
Request an on-site survey. A reputable provider will want to see the premises before pricing the job, as the layout, floor type, and usage determine the time required. A quote generated in seconds without having seen the space relies on guesswork. Compare at least two or three quotes with the same frequency and scope so you compare apples to apples. Check that the company has legal status in Renholdsregisteret, that the work plan is specified, and that it clearly states what is included and what counts as an add-on. That way, you know where your money goes.
