Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, VA and Sandnes Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, VA and Sandnes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,515 per month in Arlington, VA vs $2,541 in Sandnes, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,406 per month in Arlington, VA vs $3,940 in Sandnes, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,298 per month in Arlington, VA vs $5,340 in Sandnes, rent included.

Arlington, VA costs about 38% more than Sandnes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arlington, VA and Sandnes sit above the global median – Arlington, VA by 163%, Sandnes by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.01 $24.01

$28.47 NOK 274

-15.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.1 $89.1

$122 NOK 1,177

-27.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 $11.91

$13.21 NOK 127

-9.84%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.23 NOK 50.4

7.65%

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

$2.84 $2.84

$3.50 NOK 33.71

-18.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.95 NOK 28.39

-13.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 $8.07

$10.20 NOK 98.2

-20.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 $8.85

$10.03 NOK 96.6

-11.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$2.11 NOK 20.29

-42.65%

White Bread (500g)

$4.20 $4.20

$3.42 NOK 32.96

22.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.08 $7.08

$3.21 NOK 30.93

120.56%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$4.26 NOK 41.07

3.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.60 $17.60

$12.53 NOK 121

40.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.33 $15.33

$13.98 NOK 135

9.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.72 $21.72

$36.26 NOK 349

-40.10%

Apples (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$3.61 NOK 34.78

74.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.56 NOK 24.70

-19.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.06 NOK 29.47

66.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$4.72 NOK 45.47

22.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.19 NOK 21.13

57.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.26 NOK 21.78

49.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.80 NOK 26.94

-4.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.89 NOK 18.24

29.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.45 $12.45

$15.08 NOK 145

-17.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.87 $16.87

$16.15 NOK 156

4.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.19 NOK 30.74

-38.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 $4.23

$4.01 NOK 38.60

5.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 $3.60

$4.19 NOK 40.36

-14.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$126 $126

$69.8 NOK 672

80.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$14.93 NOK 144

-79.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.05 NOK 19.77

-23.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.02 $22.02

$46.06 NOK 444

-52.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$2.11 NOK 20.33

-59.24%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$35.0K NOK 337.4K

-13.92%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$32.3K NOK 311.4K

-20.92%

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

$206 $206

$223 NOK 2,145

-7.66%

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

$59.0 $59.0

$43.73 NOK 421

34.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$78.8 NOK 759

-10.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.2 $76.2

$50.2 NOK 483

51.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.71 $23.71

$50.8 NOK 489

-53.28%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$18.46 NOK 178

-18.47%

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

$2,114 $2,114

$322 NOK 3,100

556.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K $40.0K

$9,185 NOK 88.5K

335.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$120 NOK 1,156

-53.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 $51.1

$59.8 NOK 576

-14.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 $93.4

$104 NOK 1,001

-10.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$158 NOK 1,520

-10.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,516 $2,516

$1,260 NOK 12.1K

99.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 $1,890

$852 NOK 8,202

121.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,298 $4,298

$1,690 NOK 16.3K

154.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,493 $3,493

$1,465 NOK 14.1K

138.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,364 $6,364

$6,886 NOK 66.3K

-7.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,027 $5,027

$3,934 NOK 37.9K

27.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,694 $6,694

$3,554 NOK 34.2K

88.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

4.4

48.86%

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

Last update for Arlington, VA: July 14, 2026

Last update for Sandnes: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,516 in Arlington, VA versus $1,260 in Sandnes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 88% higher in Arlington, VA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Arlington, VA versus $122 in Sandnes. Groceries tell a different story – $497 in Arlington, VA vs $472 in Sandnes – so Sandnes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Arlington, VA vs Sandnes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, VA costs about 38% more than Sandnes, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,272 per month in Arlington, VA and $3,811 in Sandnes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sandnes, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Arlington, VA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Arlington, VA and $122 in Sandnes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,515 in Arlington, VA and $2,541 in Sandnes. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Sandnes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sandnes. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arlington, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.