Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boston, MA and Stavanger

For one person, living is cheaper in Stavanger: $3,138 a month against $4,444 in Boston, MA, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Boston, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

214

Cost of Living Index in Boston, MA
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Boston, MA Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Stavanger
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Stavanger Living Index

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Boston, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,444

/mo nomad

Stavanger

🇳🇴 Norway

$3,138

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Boston, MA and in Stavanger

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Boston, MA and in Stavanger actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,444 per month in Boston, MA vs $3,138 in Stavanger, rent included.

Boston, MA $4,444
Stavanger $3,138

A couple spends around $6,187 per month in Boston, MA vs $4,570 in Stavanger, rent included.

Boston, MA $6,187
Stavanger $4,570

A family of three spends $7,930 per month in Boston, MA vs $6,002 in Stavanger, rent included.

Boston, MA $7,930
Stavanger $6,002

Boston, MA costs about 42% more than Stavanger, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Boston, MA and Stavanger sit above the global median – Boston, MA by 229%, Stavanger by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.22 $30.22

$24.72 NOK 233

22.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$95.7 NOK 901

24.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 $11.76

$15.96 NOK 150

-26.32%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$6.23 NOK 58.6

-16.21%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$5.20 NOK 48.94

-39.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$4.26 NOK 40.09

-45.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

$13.68 NOK 129

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.98 $8.98

$11.94 NOK 112

-24.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$2.44 NOK 22.95

-48.77%

White Bread (500g)

$4.46 $4.46

$3.52 NOK 33.10

26.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.85 $6.85

$3.85 NOK 36.29

77.92%

Eggs

$6.00 $6.00

$4.72 NOK 44.40

27.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.53 $15.53

$14.37 NOK 135

8.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.99 $14.99

$16.68 NOK 157

-10.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.60 $19.60

$35.66 NOK 336

-45.04%

Apples (1kg)

$7.47 $7.47

$3.46 NOK 32.59

115.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.78 NOK 26.19

-26.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.38 NOK 31.79

63.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.40 $7.40

$4.92 NOK 46.33

50.41%

Potato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.49 NOK 23.42

73.09%

Onion (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$2.98 NOK 28.05

38.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.83 NOK 26.63

4.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.35 NOK 22.09

25.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.39 $12.39

$17.60 NOK 166

-29.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.97 $15.97

$18.73 NOK 176

-14.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.74 NOK 35.21

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.48 $5.48

$4.42 NOK 41.58

23.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 $2.35

$4.64 NOK 43.68

-49.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.5 $89.5

$84.1 NOK 792

6.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$6.07 NOK 57.1

-57.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.70 NOK 16.01

2.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.60 $27.60

$102 NOK 961

-72.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.43 NOK 22.85

-53.50%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$48.3K NOK 455.1K

-24.92%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$42.0K NOK 395.1K

-37.22%

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

$243 $243

$249 NOK 2,346

-2.44%

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

$55.5 $55.5

$34.59 NOK 326

60.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.0 $87.0

$80.9 NOK 762

7.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.1 $86.1

$50.2 NOK 473

71.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.59 $41.59

$36.81 NOK 347

12.99%

Cinema Ticket

$15.86 $15.86

$21.38 NOK 201

-25.82%

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

$2,926 $2,926

$320 NOK 3,014

814.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.5K $36.5K

$14.2K NOK 133.9K

156.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 $74.6

$126 NOK 1,183

-40.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 $50.7

$58.8 NOK 553

-13.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$149 NOK 1,406

-22.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$198 NOK 1,865

-17.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,350 $3,350

$1,697 NOK 16.0K

97.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,706 $2,706

$1,356 NOK 12.8K

99.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,835 $5,835

$2,735 NOK 25.7K

113.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,927 $3,927

$2,042 NOK 19.2K

92.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.3K $13.3K

$6,207 NOK 58.4K

113.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,353 $6,353

$5,292 NOK 49.8K

20.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,998 $5,998

$5,011 NOK 47.2K

19.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

5.27

26.38%

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

Last update for Boston, MA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Boston, MA

$2.7K 60.9%

Stavanger

$1.4K 43.2% 49.9% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Boston, MA

$524 11.8%

Stavanger

$517 16.5% 1.3% $6.7

Eating Out

Boston, MA

$419 9.4%

Stavanger

$450 14.4% 7.4% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boston, MA

$386 8.7%

Stavanger

$365 11.6% 5.4% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Boston, MA

$182 4.1%

Stavanger

$239 7.6% 31.7% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Boston, MA

$118 2.7%

Stavanger

$93 3% 21.1% $25

Getting Around

Boston, MA

$110 2.5%

Stavanger

$117 3.7% 6.4% $7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,350 in Boston, MA versus $1,697 in Stavanger. 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 20% higher in Boston, MA, 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 $119 in Boston, MA versus $96.0 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $524 vs $517 – making Stavanger the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Boston, MA

🇳🇴 Stavanger

🕒 Local time

18:50 6:50 PM

00:50 12:50 AM

6 h ahead of Boston, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

675,647

149,330

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Norwegian Krone NOK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 NOK = 10.62 USD

100 NOK = 9.45 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇳🇴 Norwegian Krone (kr)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

NOK to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Boston, MA Stavanger 5,380 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Boston, MA
Stavanger

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Boston, MA vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boston, MA costs about 42% more than Stavanger, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,667 per month in Boston, MA and $4,708 in Stavanger. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 1% more in Boston, MA, 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 $119 in Boston, MA and $96.0 in Stavanger. 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 $4,444 in Boston, MA and $3,138 in Stavanger. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Stavanger costs $3,138 versus $4,444 in Boston, MA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Stavanger. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Boston, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.