What does office cleaning cost in 2026? Price per square meter and hour
The prices here are approximate starting points for 2026, not a binding quote. The cost of an assignment depends on size, condition, and accessibility. 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 in 2026 typically costs 35-75 NOK per square meter per month for a regular contract, or 450-600 NOK per hour for more flexible assignments. An office of 300 sqm with cleaning three days a week often lands at 10,000-18,000 NOK per month. The price is determined by area, frequency, location, and your quality requirements. Always request an on-site survey before comparing quotes.
How much does office cleaning cost per square meter?
The most common pricing model for offices is Norwegian kroner per square meter per month. For a typical open-plan office with desks, meeting rooms, and shared sanitary facilities, the range is 35-75 NOK/sqm/month. A small office of 150 sqm with cleaning twice a week often costs around 6,000-9,000 NOK per month. A medium-sized premises of 500 sqm with daily cleaning can exceed 25,000 NOK.
These figures are not fixed prices, but typical levels for 2026. In central areas of Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, and Stavanger, prices are often 10-20% higher than the average, due to higher wage and rental costs. A low square meter price usually means infrequent cleaning or simple premises, not necessarily a good quote.
How much does it cost per hour?
When you purchase cleaning without a regular contract, the price is calculated per hour. An agency typically charges 450-600 NOK/hour for office assignments. This includes the cleaner's salary, employer's national insurance contributions, equipment, insurance, and the company's profit.
The cleaner's hourly wage itself is regulated. The generalized minimum wage for adult cleaners is 236.54 NOK/hour (2025/2026). The rate is revised annually, often in June, so it may change. You should scrutinize a quote significantly below 400 NOK/hour, as it is difficult to see how legal wages and employer's national insurance contributions can be covered. An experienced cleaner can cover approximately 100-150 sqm per hour with regular cleaning, so hours and area are closely linked.
Estimated monthly price by size and frequency
The table shows rough estimates for a regular contract in 2026. Use it to calibrate quotes, not as an exact price schedule. Central areas add 10-20% on top.
| Office Size | 1 day/week | 3 days/week | 5 days/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sqm | 2,500-4,000 NOK | 5,000-8,000 NOK | 7,000-11,000 NOK |
| 300 sqm | 4,500-7,000 NOK | 10,000-16,000 NOK | 15,000-24,000 NOK |
| 500 sqm | 7,000-11,000 NOK | 16,000-26,000 NOK | 24,000-38,000 NOK |
| 1,000 sqm | 12,000-19,000 NOK | 28,000-45,000 NOK | 42,000-65,000 NOK |
Note that the price does not grow directly proportionally with the area. A large office gets a lower price per square meter because the cleaner works continuously and spends less time on setup and movement.
What affects the price the most?
Four factors determine most of the final sum:
- Frequency. Daily cleaning costs more overall than two days a week, but often less per visit because dirt doesn't get a chance to build up.
- Area and layout. Open-plan offices are quicker to clean than many small cellular offices with narrow corridors.
- Location. City centers in major cities are 10-20% above rural areas.
- Requirements and content. Daily dishwashing in the kitchen, frequent window cleaning, floor treatment, or documented INSTA 800 quality increases the price.
In addition, your industry plays a role. A doctor's office, a kindergarten, or a production facility has stricter hygiene requirements than a regular office, and this costs more per square meter.
Regular contract or hourly rate – which is more beneficial?
For premises you clean regularly, a fixed monthly contract almost always pays off. You get a predictable price, the same cleaner who gets to know the premises, and an agreed work schedule. Per square meter, it will be cheaper than ordering hour by hour.
Hourly rates are best suited for sporadic needs: a deep clean before moving in, tidying up after renovation, or a one-off assignment you don't want to commit to. If you order hours every week without a contract, you usually pay a premium for flexibility you don't need. If you want to read more about how to choose the right partner, see velge-renholdsleverandor.
What is included in a standard office cleaning contract?
A typical contract covers the daily and weekly tasks that keep the premises presentable. The typical content:
What is actually included depends on the service you order. This list is a typical starting point, not an exhaustive guide. Certain tasks – such as window cleaning, floor treatment, special surfaces, or white goods – may be extras you need to order separately and are not automatically included in all assignments. What applies to your assignment will be stated in the quote and order confirmation. If you are unsure if something is included, ask us before the cleaning day.
- Vacuuming and mopping of floors
- Emptying of wastebaskets and waste, with source separation
- Cleaning of toilets and sanitary facilities
- Wiping of touch surfaces: door handles, light switches, railings
- Cleaning of kitchen and break rooms, including counters and exterior of coffee machine
- Dry and wet mopping of common areas and reception
The following are usually extras: window cleaning, floor treatment (stripping and polishing), cleaning of textile furniture, deep clean, and move-out cleaning. Request that extras are specified in the quote to avoid surprises on the invoice. A clear work plan with frequency per task makes it easy to verify that you are getting what you pay for.
Why do Renholdsregisteret and INSTA 800 matter for the price?
A serious quote costs more than an unserious one, and there's a good reason for that. All cleaning businesses must be approved and registered in Renholdsregisteret (the Cleaning Register) with the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority. It is illegal to purchase cleaning from a business not listed there. Approval requires, among other things, HMS cards (health, safety, and environment cards) for employees and an agreement for occupational health services. A company that covers these costs cannot compete at the very bottom of the price scale, and you should be glad for that. Check the supplier in the public register before signing, and read more in lovlig-vaskehjelp-renholdsregisteret.
NS-INSTA 800 is a Nordic standard that measures achieved cleaning quality according to objective criteria, not by how many hours have been spent. It is often used in tenders, often together with ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001. When quality is measurable, you can hold the supplier accountable for a result. Contracts with a documented quality level often cost a little more than a pure hourly assignment, but you pay for a verifiable result. This is the difference between buying "someone to clean" and buying "an office that maintains 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 figures in flyttevask-pris.
How to get a quote you can trust
Request an on-site survey. A serious supplier will inspect the premises before pricing the job, because the layout, floor type, and usage determine the time spent. A quote that arrives in seconds without having seen the premises is based on guesswork. Compare at least two to three quotes with the same frequency and content, so you are comparing apples to apples. Check that the company is listed in Renholdsregisteret, that the work plan is specified, and that it is clear what is included and what are extras. Then you will know what your money is going towards.
