Cost of Living Comparison Between Boston, MA and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Boston, MA and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,369 per month in Boston, MA vs $3,179 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,167 per month in Boston, MA vs $4,668 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,965 per month in Boston, MA vs $6,158 in Stavanger, rent included.

Boston, MA costs about 37% more than Stavanger, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Boston, MA and Stavanger sit above the global median – Boston, MA by 218%, Stavanger by 131%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.55 $30.55

$26.10 NOK 243

17.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$100 NOK 932

18.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$15.98 NOK 149

-23.53%

Cappuccino

$5.33 $5.33

$6.53 NOK 60.9

-18.38%

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

$3.20 $3.20

$5.57 NOK 51.9

-42.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$4.55 NOK 42.35

-49.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 $7.92

$13.62 NOK 127

-41.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.93 $8.93

$12.09 NOK 113

-26.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.49 NOK 23.19

-48.59%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.60 NOK 33.58

16.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$3.96 NOK 36.86

63.38%

Eggs

$5.86 $5.86

$4.97 NOK 46.34

17.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 $15.16

$14.64 NOK 136

3.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.72 $13.72

$17.53 NOK 163

-21.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.49 $18.49

$35.75 NOK 333

-48.28%

Apples (1kg)

$7.47 $7.47

$3.70 NOK 34.49

101.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.86 NOK 26.62

-33.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$3.58 NOK 33.32

59.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.08 $7.08

$4.90 NOK 45.61

44.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.60 NOK 24.27

45.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.17 NOK 29.53

23.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.90 NOK 27.05

-1.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.31 NOK 21.54

22.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.66 $12.66

$17.65 NOK 164

-28.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.62 $16.62

$19.17 NOK 179

-13.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.85 NOK 35.86

-19.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 $5.64

$4.61 NOK 42.91

22.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 $2.45

$4.89 NOK 45.59

-49.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.3 $91.3

$87.1 NOK 812

4.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$6.48 NOK 60.4

-59.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.78 NOK 16.62

-1.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.06 $28.06

$105 NOK 980

-73.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$2.32 NOK 21.66

-52.59%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$48.7K NOK 454.0K

-26.19%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$41.8K NOK 389.7K

-37.15%

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

$259 $259

$257 NOK 2,397

0.73%

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

$53.4 $53.4

$35.59 NOK 332

50.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.4 $83.4

$84.9 NOK 791

-1.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.7 $85.7

$52.6 NOK 490

62.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.17 $41.17

$36.90 NOK 344

11.57%

Cinema Ticket

$15.36 $15.36

$22.33 NOK 208

-31.21%

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

$2,838 $2,838

$325 NOK 3,029

772.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K $35.6K

$14.4K NOK 134.0K

147.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 $74.2

$126 NOK 1,173

-41.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.68 $48.68

$60.7 NOK 566

-19.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$155 NOK 1,445

-24.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 $170

$203 NOK 1,893

-16.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,312 $3,312

$1,746 NOK 16.3K

89.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,569 $2,569

$1,387 NOK 12.9K

85.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,941 $5,941

$2,840 NOK 26.5K

109.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,902 $3,902

$2,044 NOK 19.0K

90.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K $13.9K

$6,241 NOK 58.1K

122.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,538 $6,538

$5,530 NOK 51.5K

18.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,003 $6,003

$5,111 NOK 47.6K

17.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

5.27

19.17%

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

Last update for Boston, MA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,312 in Boston, MA versus $1,746 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 17% 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 $100 in Stavanger. Groceries tell a different story – $505 in Boston, MA vs $530 in Stavanger – so Boston, MA 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

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

Boston, MA costs about 37% more than Stavanger, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,553 per month in Boston, MA and $4,768 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Boston, MA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $119 in Boston, MA and $100 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 $4,369 in Boston, MA and $3,179 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 $3,179 versus $4,369 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.