Cost of Living Comparison Between Arendal and Staten Island, NY Cost of Living Comparison Between Arendal and Staten Island, NY

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,777 in Arendal versus $2,989 in Staten Island, NY.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,905 in Arendal versus $4,402 in Staten Island, NY.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,034 in Arendal versus $5,814 in Staten Island, NY.

Living in Arendal costs roughly 7% less than in Staten Island, NY, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arendal 102% above, Staten Island, NY 118% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.31 NOK 189

$23.55 $23.55

-13.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 NOK 628

$88.7 $88.7

-23.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.90 NOK 148

$13.64 $13.64

16.57%

Cappuccino

$5.55 NOK 51.6

$6.49 $6.49

-14.48%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 NOK 33.50

$2.59 $2.59

39.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 NOK 31.77

$1.71 $1.71

99.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.90 NOK 111

$8.05 $8.05

47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.15 NOK 113

$7.83 $7.83

55.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 22.30

$1.23 $1.23

95.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 NOK 33.54

$4.75 $4.75

-24.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 NOK 36.74

$6.54 $6.54

-39.60%

Eggs

$5.04 NOK 46.90

$5.70 $5.70

-11.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.87 NOK 138

$16.79 $16.79

-11.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.26 NOK 142

$13.92 $13.92

9.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.60 NOK 322

$19.68 $19.68

75.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 NOK 33.56

$6.09 $6.09

-40.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 NOK 26.33

$3.60 $3.60

-21.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 NOK 33.86

$5.90 $5.90

-38.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 NOK 46.09

$6.16 $6.16

-19.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.23

$3.53 $3.53

-26.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 NOK 29.29

$4.23 $4.23

-25.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 25.90

$2.78 $2.78

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 NOK 21.83

$2.81 $2.81

-16.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.77 NOK 165

$18.75 $18.75

-5.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 NOK 138

$14.84 $14.84

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 NOK 35.82

$1.79 $1.79

115.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 NOK 41.22

$3.64 $3.64

21.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.81 NOK 35.45

$3.02 $3.02

26.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.9 NOK 846

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 NOK 59.6

$2.92 $2.92

119.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 NOK 16.33

$2.19 $2.19

-20.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$104 NOK 971

$42.67 $42.67

144.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 NOK 21.66

$1.02 $1.02

128.43%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$48.4K NOK 450.3K

$34.9K $34.9K

38.62%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$42.5K NOK 395.4K

$25.8K $25.8K

64.87%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$251 NOK 2,334

$207 $207

21.08%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.15 NOK 327

$71.3 $71.3

-50.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.5 NOK 749

$65.7 $65.7

22.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.73 NOK 351

$118 $118

-68.03%

Cinema Ticket

$15.95 NOK 148

$20.20 $20.20

-21.04%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$324 NOK 3,017

$2,000 $2,000

-83.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K NOK 134.2K

$15.7K $15.7K

-8.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$130 NOK 1,209

$73.0 $73.0

77.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.60 NOK 415

$37.57 $37.57

18.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 NOK 1,205

$105 $105

22.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$205 NOK 1,909

$105 $105

95.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 NOK 10.6K

$1,816 $1,816

-37.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 NOK 9,993

$1,409 $1,409

-23.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 NOK 15.1K

$3,323 $3,323

-51.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 NOK 13.9K

$2,404 $2,404

-38.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,115 NOK 38.3K

$6,780 $6,780

-39.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

6.33

-26.07%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Arendal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Staten Island, NY: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,141 in Arendal and $1,816 in Staten Island, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Staten Island, NY pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $67.0 in Arendal vs $89.0 in Staten Island, NY. Groceries flip the comparison at $506 vs $504, with Staten Island, NY cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Arendal vs Staten Island, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arendal and Staten Island, NY differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,777 vs $2,989 including rent). Arendal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Staten Island, NY. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,141 in Arendal versus $1,816 in Staten Island, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $324 in Arendal versus $2,000 in Staten Island, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Arendal – a meal for two runs $67.0 versus $89.0 in Staten Island, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,777 in Arendal versus $2,989 in Staten Island, NY, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Arendal but tight or insufficient in Staten Island, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Arendal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Arendal and Staten Island, NY are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Arendal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Staten Island, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.