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: $2,452 in Grimstad versus $2,699 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,553 in Grimstad versus $4,150 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,654 in Grimstad versus $5,601 in Stavanger.

Living in Grimstad costs roughly 9% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Grimstad 84% above, Stavanger 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.92 NOK 220

$25.22 NOK 242

-9.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 NOK 488

$123 NOK 1,180

-58.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.84 NOK 142

$15.08 NOK 145

-1.59%

Cappuccino

$4.47 NOK 42.89

$5.02 NOK 48.16

-10.96%

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

$3.99 NOK 38.24

$3.89 NOK 37.28

2.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 NOK 31.81

$3.40 NOK 32.64

-2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.32 NOK 118

$10.99 NOK 105

12.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.31 NOK 98.9

$10.26 NOK 98.4

0.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 NOK 22.11

$2.40 NOK 22.99

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 NOK 30.99

$3.11 NOK 29.80

3.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 NOK 28.35

$4.64 NOK 44.54

-36.42%

Eggs

$3.13 NOK 29.98

$4.52 NOK 43.38

-30.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 NOK 103

$12.98 NOK 124

-17.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 NOK 133

$16.24 NOK 156

-14.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 NOK 153

$27.67 NOK 265

-42.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 NOK 19.15

$3.53 NOK 33.83

-43.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 NOK 21.33

$2.52 NOK 24.20

-11.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 NOK 32.87

$3.05 NOK 29.27

12.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 NOK 37.97

$4.66 NOK 44.68

-15.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 NOK 24.01

$2.05 NOK 19.66

21.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 25.22

$3.04 NOK 29.20

-13.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 NOK 26.75

$2.58 NOK 24.76

8.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NOK 16.78

$1.75 NOK 16.75

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.01 NOK 163

$15.11 NOK 145

12.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 NOK 149

$17.96 NOK 172

-13.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.37 NOK 32.35

$3.54 NOK 33.99

-4.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 NOK 41.97

$4.08 NOK 39.14

7.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.20 NOK 49.91

$4.58 NOK 43.95

13.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.7 NOK 717

$69.1 NOK 663

8.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 NOK 96.3

$15.37 NOK 147

-34.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 NOK 13.52

$2.07 NOK 19.85

-31.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.65 NOK 409

$103 NOK 983

-58.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 NOK 21.65

$2.21 NOK 21.17

2.26%

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

$35.5K NOK 340.8K

$34.7K NOK 333.0K

2.33%

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

$43.4K NOK 416.7K

$32.7K NOK 313.8K

32.78%

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

$299 NOK 2,864

$192 NOK 1,842

55.43%

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

$28.29 NOK 271

$42.41 NOK 407

-33.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 NOK 528

$80.9 NOK 776

-31.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.39 NOK 474

$55.8 NOK 535

-11.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.26 NOK 338

$35.17 NOK 337

0.26%

Cinema Ticket

$15.14 NOK 145

$19.02 NOK 182

-20.40%

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

$267 NOK 2,565

$314 NOK 3,010

-14.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 141.3K

$12.9K NOK 123.6K

14.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.96 NOK 479

$116 NOK 1,108

-56.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 NOK 588

$58.4 NOK 560

5.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 NOK 959

$107 NOK 1,030

-6.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 NOK 1,580

$157 NOK 1,510

4.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 NOK 11.8K

$1,595 NOK 15.3K

-23.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$894 NOK 8,576

$1,135 NOK 10.9K

-21.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 NOK 17.2K

$2,798 NOK 26.8K

-36.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 NOK 14.8K

$1,777 NOK 17.0K

-13.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,700 NOK 45.1K

$6,005 NOK 57.6K

-21.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,305 NOK 31.7K

$5,223 NOK 50.1K

-36.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,443 NOK 42.6K

$4,909 NOK 47.1K

-9.51%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,227 in Grimstad and $1,595 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 11% 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 $123 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 vs $468 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 11% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,227 in Grimstad versus $1,595 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,452 per month in Grimstad versus $2,699 in Stavanger – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Grimstad runs roughly 8% 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 10% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.