Cost of Living Comparison Between Arendal and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Arendal and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,496 in Arendal versus $3,218 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,773 in Arendal versus $4,688 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,050 in Arendal versus $6,159 in Stavanger.

Living in Arendal costs roughly 22% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arendal 82% above, Stavanger 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 NOK 190

$25.87 NOK 242

-21.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 NOK 610

$96.6 NOK 902

-32.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.63 NOK 146

$15.77 NOK 147

-0.89%

Cappuccino

$5.52 NOK 51.5

$6.34 NOK 59.2

-12.93%

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

$3.74 NOK 34.91

$5.42 NOK 50.6

-31.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 NOK 30.92

$4.47 NOK 41.76

-25.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.74 NOK 110

$13.85 NOK 129

-15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.98 NOK 112

$12.25 NOK 114

-2.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 NOK 22.05

$2.36 NOK 22.03

White Bread (500g)

$3.51 NOK 32.76

$3.64 NOK 33.96

-3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 NOK 34.92

$3.92 NOK 36.60

-4.59%

Eggs

$4.91 NOK 45.82

$4.95 NOK 46.20

-0.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.06 NOK 141

$14.89 NOK 139

1.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.14 NOK 141

$16.94 NOK 158

-10.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.80 NOK 334

$36.00 NOK 336

-0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 NOK 32.04

$3.60 NOK 33.65

-4.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 NOK 26.02

$2.79 NOK 26.06

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 NOK 30.91

$3.57 NOK 33.32

-7.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 NOK 44.38

$4.84 NOK 45.23

-1.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 NOK 24.35

$2.54 NOK 23.75

2.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 NOK 29.59

$3.18 NOK 29.74

-0.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 NOK 25.65

$2.86 NOK 26.68

-3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 NOK 22.05

$2.38 NOK 22.19

-0.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.56 NOK 164

$17.32 NOK 162

1.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.75 NOK 166

$18.61 NOK 174

-4.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.83 NOK 35.76

$3.92 NOK 36.60

-2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 NOK 43.34

$4.64 NOK 43.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.19 NOK 39.08

$4.85 NOK 45.32

-13.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$126 NOK 1,181

$81.3 NOK 759

55.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 NOK 57.1

$6.44 NOK 60.1

-4.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NOK 16.79

$1.72 NOK 16.08

4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.10 NOK 300

$104 NOK 974

-69.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 NOK 20.87

$2.27 NOK 21.23

-1.76%

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

$49.4K NOK 461.1K

$49.3K NOK 460.3K

0.18%

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

$41.6K NOK 388.9K

$42.5K NOK 397.3K

-2.12%

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

$209 NOK 1,953

$254 NOK 2,375

-17.75%

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

$35.76 NOK 334

$35.83 NOK 335

-0.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.5 NOK 780

$83.3 NOK 778

0.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.74 NOK 427

$52.1 NOK 486

-12.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$79.3 NOK 740

$37.77 NOK 353

109.90%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 NOK 133

$22.24 NOK 208

-35.88%

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

$317 NOK 2,961

$326 NOK 3,043

-2.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K NOK 101.1K

$14.3K NOK 133.5K

-24.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 NOK 1,004

$126 NOK 1,181

-14.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 NOK 499

$59.6 NOK 557

-10.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 NOK 1,141

$156 NOK 1,457

-21.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 NOK 1,894

$207 NOK 1,936

-2.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 NOK 10.7K

$1,732 NOK 16.2K

-33.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 NOK 7,856

$1,379 NOK 12.9K

-38.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 NOK 13.3K

$2,747 NOK 25.7K

-48.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 NOK 12.1K

$2,094 NOK 19.6K

-38.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,244 NOK 30.3K

$6,334 NOK 59.2K

-48.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,126 NOK 19.9K

$5,318 NOK 49.7K

-60.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,201 NOK 39.2K

$5,107 NOK 47.7K

-17.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

5.27

-3.61%

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

Last update for Arendal: August 17, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,150 in Arendal and $1,732 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 22% 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: $65.0 in Arendal vs $97.0 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $510 vs $526 per month, with Arendal cheaper across the board.

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 Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arendal and Stavanger differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($2,496 vs $3,218 including rent). Arendal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Stavanger. 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: $1,150 in Arendal versus $1,732 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $317 in Arendal versus $326 in Stavanger. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Stavanger. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Arendal is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Stavanger 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 29% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.