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 $4,208 per month in Boston, MA vs $2,744 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,971 per month in Boston, MA vs $4,187 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,734 per month in Boston, MA vs $5,629 in Stavanger, rent included.

Boston, MA costs about 53% more than Stavanger, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Boston, MA and Stavanger sit above the global median – Boston, MA by 214%, Stavanger by 105%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.35 $25.35

$25.49 NOK 237

-0.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$129 $129

$121 NOK 1,122

7.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 $11.14

$15.31 NOK 142

-27.24%

Cappuccino

$5.51 $5.51

$5.17 NOK 48.03

6.58%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$4.04 NOK 37.57

-24.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.47 NOK 32.20

-29.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$11.15 NOK 104

-27.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.96 $8.96

$10.27 NOK 95.4

-12.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$2.45 NOK 22.73

-46.53%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 $4.17

$3.02 NOK 28.03

38.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$4.56 NOK 42.38

40.57%

Eggs

$4.83 $4.83

$4.46 NOK 41.46

8.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.07 $17.07

$13.11 NOK 122

30.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.56 $13.56

$16.72 NOK 155

-18.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.22 $20.22

$27.15 NOK 252

-25.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$3.58 NOK 33.26

58.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.56 NOK 23.80

-14.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.28 $6.28

$2.98 NOK 27.72

110.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.85 $7.85

$4.61 NOK 42.83

70.28%

Potato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$2.09 NOK 19.42

120.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$3.09 NOK 28.70

23.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.50 NOK 23.27

12.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.81 NOK 16.81

44.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.70 $13.70

$15.37 NOK 143

-10.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.58 $16.58

$19.14 NOK 178

-13.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.63 NOK 33.70

-21.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.65 $5.65

$4.13 NOK 38.39

36.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 $2.38

$4.66 NOK 43.31

-48.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.4 $91.4

$67.1 NOK 623

36.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$14.97 NOK 139

-82.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.12 NOK 19.70

-18.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.29 $28.29

$99.8 NOK 927

-71.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$2.15 NOK 19.96

-56.74%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$34.0K NOK 315.8K

-12.06%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$32.8K NOK 304.4K

-23.70%

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

$194 $194

$191 NOK 1,778

1.29%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$42.73 NOK 397

37.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.3 $79.3

$81.9 NOK 761

-3.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.5 $80.5

$55.8 NOK 519

44.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.51 $30.51

$35.64 NOK 331

-14.39%

Cinema Ticket

$15.58 $15.58

$19.51 NOK 181

-20.14%

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

$2,830 $2,830

$318 NOK 2,957

789.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K $27.0K

$12.8K NOK 118.6K

111.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 $66.9

$119 NOK 1,107

-43.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.18 $44.18

$58.3 NOK 542

-24.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$106 NOK 981

-4.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$157 NOK 1,460

-5.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,479 $3,479

$1,604 NOK 14.9K

116.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,638 $2,638

$1,115 NOK 10.4K

136.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,212 $6,212

$2,756 NOK 25.6K

125.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,944 $3,944

$1,738 NOK 16.1K

126.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.5K $13.5K

$6,190 NOK 57.5K

117.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,392 $6,392

$5,435 NOK 50.5K

17.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,939 $5,939

$4,992 NOK 46.4K

18.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

4.51

42.57%

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

Last update for Boston, MA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,479 in Boston, MA versus $1,604 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 19% 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 $129 in Boston, MA versus $121 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $508 vs $472 – making Stavanger 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

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

Boston, MA costs about 53% 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 $6,312 per month in Boston, MA and $4,117 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 8% 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 $129 in Boston, MA and $121 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 $4,208 in Boston, MA and $2,744 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 $2,744 versus $4,208 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.