Cost of Living Comparison Between Grimstad and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Grimstad and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,390 in Grimstad versus $2,695 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,520 in Grimstad versus $4,140 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,651 in Grimstad versus $5,584 in Stavanger.

Living in Grimstad costs roughly 11% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Grimstad 79% above, Stavanger 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.99 NOK 214

$25.22 NOK 235

-8.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 NOK 477

$119 NOK 1,113

-57.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.93 NOK 139

$15.32 NOK 143

-2.55%

Cappuccino

$4.54 NOK 42.29

$5.05 NOK 47.09

-10.10%

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

$3.99 NOK 37.19

$4.01 NOK 37.36

-0.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 NOK 30.85

$3.46 NOK 32.25

-4.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.23 NOK 114

$11.16 NOK 104

9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.31 NOK 96.1

$9.94 NOK 92.7

3.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 21.37

$2.45 NOK 22.84

-6.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 NOK 29.00

$3.10 NOK 28.90

0.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 NOK 28.00

$4.61 NOK 42.97

-34.92%

Eggs

$3.26 NOK 30.37

$4.34 NOK 40.44

-24.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.73 NOK 100

$12.93 NOK 120

-17.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.41 NOK 125

$16.27 NOK 152

-17.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.37 NOK 153

$27.67 NOK 258

-40.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 NOK 19.37

$3.41 NOK 31.76

-39.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 NOK 20.68

$2.62 NOK 24.42

-15.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 NOK 31.30

$3.01 NOK 28.07

11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 37.46

$4.55 NOK 42.42

-11.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 23.44

$2.07 NOK 19.28

21.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.27

$2.99 NOK 27.85

-13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 NOK 26.77

$2.47 NOK 23.00

16.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NOK 16.37

$1.84 NOK 17.14

-4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.29 NOK 161

$15.09 NOK 141

14.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.07 NOK 150

$19.20 NOK 179

-16.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 NOK 32.91

$3.55 NOK 33.07

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 NOK 40.11

$4.01 NOK 37.39

7.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.95 NOK 46.17

$4.48 NOK 41.78

10.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 NOK 722

$66.9 NOK 623

15.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 NOK 93.6

$15.00 NOK 140

-33.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 12.90

$2.09 NOK 19.44

-33.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.93 NOK 391

$102 NOK 951

-58.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 NOK 20.48

$2.11 NOK 19.66

4.27%

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

$36.6K NOK 341.3K

$33.8K NOK 315.5K

8.19%

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

$42.2K NOK 392.9K

$33.0K NOK 307.7K

27.66%

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

$301 NOK 2,809

$191 NOK 1,782

57.68%

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

$27.46 NOK 256

$43.15 NOK 402

-36.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 NOK 524

$80.5 NOK 750

-30.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 NOK 452

$56.0 NOK 522

-13.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.24 NOK 328

$35.16 NOK 328

0.23%

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 NOK 142

$19.31 NOK 180

-21.28%

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

$273 NOK 2,545

$322 NOK 2,998

-15.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K NOK 139.3K

$13.2K NOK 123.5K

12.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 NOK 473

$117 NOK 1,087

-56.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 NOK 563

$58.7 NOK 547

3.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 NOK 937

$107 NOK 994

-5.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 NOK 1,557

$159 NOK 1,484

4.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 NOK 11.3K

$1,580 NOK 14.7K

-23.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 NOK 8,437

$1,123 NOK 10.5K

-19.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 NOK 16.7K

$2,783 NOK 25.9K

-35.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 NOK 14.5K

$1,781 NOK 16.6K

-12.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,940 NOK 55.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,361 NOK 50.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,492 NOK 41.9K

$5,014 NOK 46.7K

-10.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.9

4.51

8.65%

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

Last update for Grimstad: April 27, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,215 in Grimstad and $1,580 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 12% 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: $51.0 in Grimstad vs $119 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 vs $470 per month, with Grimstad cheaper across the board.

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

Grimstad vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grimstad is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Stavanger earns 12% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,215 in Grimstad versus $1,580 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,390 per month in Grimstad versus $2,695 in Stavanger – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Grimstad runs roughly 16% less than in Stavanger. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Grimstad is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Grimstad 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.

Safety-wise, Grimstad 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.

Expats usually find Grimstad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.