Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fredrikstad and Stavanger

For one person, living is cheaper in Fredrikstad: $2,983 a month against $3,138 in Stavanger, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Fredrikstad
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,983
/mo nomad
Stavanger
🇳🇴 Norway
$3,138
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fredrikstad 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 Fredrikstad and in Stavanger actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,983 in Fredrikstad versus $3,138 in Stavanger.

  • Fredrikstad $2,983
  • Stavanger $3,138

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,345 in Fredrikstad versus $4,570 in Stavanger.

  • Fredrikstad $4,345
  • Stavanger $4,570

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,707 in Fredrikstad versus $6,002 in Stavanger.

  • Fredrikstad $5,707
  • Stavanger $6,002

Living in Fredrikstad costs roughly 5% less than in Stavanger, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fredrikstad 121% above, Stavanger 132% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fredrikstad
Stavanger
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.28 NOK 247
$24.72 NOK 233
6.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$124 NOK 1,170
$95.7 NOK 901
29.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.65 NOK 119
$15.96 NOK 150
-20.74%
Cappuccino
$6.77 NOK 63.7
$6.23 NOK 58.6
8.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55 NOK 52.3
$5.20 NOK 48.94
6.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39 NOK 41.36
$4.26 NOK 40.09
3.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.55 NOK 109
$13.68 NOK 129
-15.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.57 NOK 90.1
$11.94 NOK 112
-19.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fredrikstad
Stavanger
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.34 NOK 22.00
$2.44 NOK 22.95
-4.10%
White Bread (500g)
$4.31 NOK 40.56
$3.52 NOK 33.10
22.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.43 NOK 32.31
$3.85 NOK 36.29
-10.91%
Eggs
$5.82 NOK 54.8
$4.72 NOK 44.40
23.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.06 NOK 123
$14.37 NOK 135
-9.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.96 NOK 169
$16.68 NOK 157
7.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$34.38 NOK 324
$35.66 NOK 336
-3.59%
Apples (1kg)
$3.37 NOK 31.71
$3.46 NOK 32.59
-2.60%
Banana (1kg)
$3.64 NOK 34.24
$2.78 NOK 26.19
30.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.30 NOK 40.49
$3.38 NOK 31.79
27.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.00 NOK 47.06
$4.92 NOK 46.33
1.63%
Potato (1kg)
$2.63 NOK 24.74
$2.49 NOK 23.42
5.62%
Onion (1kg)
$2.71 NOK 25.53
$2.98 NOK 28.05
-9.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.82 NOK 26.50
$2.83 NOK 26.63
-0.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 NOK 21.95
$2.35 NOK 22.09
-0.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.51 NOK 146
$17.60 NOK 166
-11.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.16 NOK 209
$18.73 NOK 176
18.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.49 NOK 32.81
$3.74 NOK 35.21
-6.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39 NOK 41.34
$4.42 NOK 41.58
-0.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Fredrikstad
Stavanger
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.11 NOK 38.71
$4.64 NOK 43.68
-11.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$64.5 NOK 607
$84.1 NOK 792
-23.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$12.56 NOK 118
$6.07 NOK 57.1
106.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.00 NOK 18.79
$1.70 NOK 16.01
17.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$70.1 NOK 660
$102 NOK 961
-31.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.30 NOK 21.64
$2.43 NOK 22.85
-5.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.8K NOK 468.4K
$48.3K NOK 455.1K
2.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.9K NOK 441.1K
$42.0K NOK 395.1K
11.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fredrikstad
Stavanger
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$331 NOK 3,118
$249 NOK 2,346
32.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$45.60 NOK 429
$34.59 NOK 326
31.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.9 NOK 630
$80.9 NOK 762
-17.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fredrikstad
Stavanger
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.3 NOK 549
$50.2 NOK 473
16.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$40.86 NOK 385
$36.81 NOK 347
11.00%
Cinema Ticket
$20.19 NOK 190
$21.38 NOK 201
-5.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fredrikstad
Stavanger
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$168 NOK 1,579
$320 NOK 3,014
-47.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.5K NOK 117.8K
$14.2K NOK 133.9K
-12.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fredrikstad
Stavanger
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$155 NOK 1,459
$126 NOK 1,183
23.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$78.7 NOK 741
$58.8 NOK 553
33.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$144 NOK 1,358
$149 NOK 1,406
-3.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 NOK 1,051
$198 NOK 1,865
-43.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fredrikstad
Stavanger
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,329 NOK 12.5K
$1,697 NOK 16.0K
-21.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,131 NOK 10.6K
$1,356 NOK 12.8K
-16.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,822 NOK 17.1K
$2,735 NOK 25.7K
-33.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,516 NOK 14.3K
$2,042 NOK 19.2K
-25.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,022 NOK 56.7K
$6,207 NOK 58.4K
-2.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,131 NOK 38.9K
$5,292 NOK 49.8K
-21.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fredrikstad
Stavanger
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,372 NOK 31.7K
$5,011 NOK 47.2K
-32.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.95
5.27
-6.07%

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

Last update for Fredrikstad: 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
Fredrikstad
$1.1K
Stavanger
$1.4K 19.9% $225
Groceries & Markets
Fredrikstad
$540
Stavanger
$517 4.1% $22
Eating Out
Fredrikstad
$446
Stavanger
$450 1% $4.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fredrikstad
$444
Stavanger
$365 17.8% $79
Clothing & Footwear
Fredrikstad
$220
Stavanger
$239 8.7% $19
Getting Around
Fredrikstad
$103
Stavanger
$117 13.3% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Fredrikstad
$99
Stavanger
$93 5.8% $5.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,329 in Fredrikstad and $1,697 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 49% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $124 in Fredrikstad vs $96.0 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $540 vs $517 per month, with Stavanger cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Fredrikstad
🇳🇴 Stavanger
🕒 Local time
05:24 5:24 AM
05:24 5:24 AM
Same time as Fredrikstad
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
85,267
149,330
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Fredrikstad Stavanger 290 km
From you
  • Fredrikstad
  • 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
Fredrikstad vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stavanger cheaper than Fredrikstad?
Fredrikstad is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and utilities. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Fredrikstad or Stavanger?
On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Stavanger. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Fredrikstad and Stavanger?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,329 in Fredrikstad versus $1,697 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $168 in Fredrikstad versus $320 in Stavanger. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Fredrikstad and in Stavanger?
Shoppers in Stavanger pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Fredrikstad or in Stavanger?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Fredrikstad is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is Fredrikstad or Stavanger more family-friendly?
For families, Fredrikstad is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Stavanger, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Fredrikstad or Stavanger?
Safety-wise, Fredrikstad and Stavanger are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Fredrikstad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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