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 $3,527 per month in Arlington, VA vs $2,699 in Sandnes, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,438 per month in Arlington, VA vs $4,203 in Sandnes, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,348 per month in Arlington, VA vs $5,708 in Sandnes, rent included.

Arlington, VA costs about 31% more than Sandnes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arlington, VA and Sandnes sit above the global median – Arlington, VA by 157%, Sandnes by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.93 $23.93

$25.98 NOK 241

-7.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100.0 $100.0

$97.6 NOK 906

2.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 $11.04

$15.53 NOK 144

-28.91%

Cappuccino

$5.89 $5.89

$5.86 NOK 54.4

0.51%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$3.53 NOK 32.73

-14.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.94 NOK 27.29

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 $7.89

$13.88 NOK 129

-43.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 $8.79

$12.47 NOK 116

-29.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$2.43 NOK 22.52

-50.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.58 NOK 33.27

27.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$2.55 NOK 23.66

107.45%

Eggs

$5.28 $5.28

$4.80 NOK 44.59

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.35 $21.35

$13.82 NOK 128

54.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.57 $15.57

$16.35 NOK 152

-4.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.09 $23.09

$32.90 NOK 305

-29.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$3.64 NOK 33.84

52.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.81 NOK 26.08

-33.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.18 NOK 29.56

43.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$4.97 NOK 46.12

18.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.53 NOK 23.52

26.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.34 NOK 21.74

59.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.78 NOK 25.80

-17.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.41 NOK 22.34

1.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.65 $10.65

$16.68 NOK 155

-36.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.06 $17.06

$17.14 NOK 159

-0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.28 NOK 30.49

-15.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$4.39 NOK 40.74

-33.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.79 $2.79

$4.85 NOK 45.00

-42.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 $122

$86.3 NOK 801

41.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 $4.08

$6.41 NOK 59.5

-36.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.80 NOK 16.75

-31.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.72 $24.72

$48.95 NOK 454

-49.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$2.25 NOK 20.85

-58.22%

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

$34.6K $34.6K

$45.1K NOK 418.3K

-23.11%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$39.0K NOK 361.9K

-36.70%

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

$161 $161

$256 NOK 2,378

-37.14%

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

$52.4 $52.4

$35.65 NOK 331

46.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 $61.8

$83.4 NOK 775

-25.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.1 $71.1

$46.60 NOK 433

52.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.11 $19.11

$54.0 NOK 501

-64.59%

Cinema Ticket

$16.49 $16.49

$19.63 NOK 182

-16.00%

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

$1,613 $1,613

$291 NOK 2,705

453.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.7K $36.7K

$9,807 NOK 91.1K

274.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 $56.0

$130 NOK 1,205

-56.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 $62.6

$60.3 NOK 560

3.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$121 NOK 1,120

-14.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$193 NOK 1,795

-17.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,456 $2,456

$1,339 NOK 12.4K

83.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,997 $1,997

$966 NOK 8,967

106.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,777 $4,777

$2,029 NOK 18.8K

135.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,604 $3,604

$1,824 NOK 16.9K

97.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,153 $6,153

$7,133 NOK 66.2K

-13.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,908 $4,908

$4,060 NOK 37.7K

20.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,734 $6,734

$3,736 NOK 34.7K

80.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.27

5.22

20.11%

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

Last update for Arlington, VA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Sandnes: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,456 in Arlington, VA versus $1,339 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 80% 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 $100 in Arlington, VA versus $98.0 in Sandnes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $507 vs $496 – making Sandnes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 31% 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 $5,291 per month in Arlington, VA and $4,049 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 2% 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 $100 in Arlington, VA and $98.0 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 $3,527 in Arlington, VA and $2,699 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.