Cost of Living Comparison Between Harstad and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Harstad and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,626 in Harstad versus $3,202 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,908 in Harstad versus $4,642 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,189 in Harstad versus $6,082 in Stavanger.

Living in Harstad costs roughly 18% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Harstad 92% above, Stavanger 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.17 NOK 134

$25.74 NOK 243

-44.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 NOK 1,027

$97.4 NOK 917

11.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.17 NOK 152

$16.15 NOK 152

0.12%

Cappuccino

$6.56 NOK 61.9

$6.37 NOK 60.0

2.98%

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

$3.84 NOK 36.18

$5.34 NOK 50.3

-28.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NOK 29.98

$4.43 NOK 41.75

-28.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.72 NOK 120

$13.88 NOK 131

-8.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.91 NOK 131

$12.16 NOK 115

14.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 NOK 24.32

$2.50 NOK 23.55

3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 NOK 32.77

$3.60 NOK 33.96

-3.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 31.06

$3.96 NOK 37.33

-16.67%

Eggs

$4.58 NOK 43.18

$5.05 NOK 47.55

-9.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 NOK 105

$15.10 NOK 142

-25.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.09 NOK 142

$17.22 NOK 162

-12.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.47 NOK 400

$35.93 NOK 339

18.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 NOK 39.94

$3.71 NOK 34.97

14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 NOK 27.73

$2.78 NOK 26.20

5.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 NOK 35.95

$3.49 NOK 32.84

9.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 NOK 45.12

$5.04 NOK 47.53

-4.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 NOK 20.37

$2.51 NOK 23.69

-13.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NOK 20.48

$3.12 NOK 29.43

-30.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 NOK 28.50

$2.91 NOK 27.45

3.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NOK 22.71

$2.42 NOK 22.84

-0.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.82 NOK 158

$17.89 NOK 169

-5.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 NOK 149

$18.83 NOK 177

-16.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 NOK 38.03

$3.94 NOK 37.16

2.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 NOK 46.97

$4.51 NOK 42.46

10.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.22 NOK 58.6

$4.82 NOK 45.41

29.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.4 NOK 796

$87.4 NOK 824

-3.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$16.02 NOK 151

$6.37 NOK 60.0

151.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NOK 17.32

$1.72 NOK 16.18

6.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.9 NOK 536

$106 NOK 1,003

-46.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 21.20

$2.25 NOK 21.21

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

$37.6K NOK 354.3K

$49.6K NOK 467.6K

-24.23%

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

$32.0K NOK 301.4K

$42.3K NOK 398.5K

-24.36%

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

$168 NOK 1,582

$251 NOK 2,362

-33.04%

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

$34.80 NOK 328

$35.70 NOK 336

-2.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.9 NOK 771

$83.6 NOK 788

-2.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 NOK 482

$52.5 NOK 495

-2.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.78 NOK 356

$37.19 NOK 350

1.59%

Cinema Ticket

$17.55 NOK 165

$22.57 NOK 213

-22.24%

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

$246 NOK 2,319

$330 NOK 3,112

-25.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,377 NOK 50.7K

$14.5K NOK 136.6K

-62.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 NOK 647

$131 NOK 1,230

-47.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.02 NOK 339

$60.9 NOK 574

-40.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,170

$158 NOK 1,492

-21.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,580

$210 NOK 1,978

-20.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 NOK 13.1K

$1,708 NOK 16.1K

-18.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 NOK 10.3K

$1,391 NOK 13.1K

-21.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,321 NOK 21.9K

$2,794 NOK 26.3K

-16.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 NOK 14.4K

$2,084 NOK 19.6K

-26.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,192 NOK 58.3K

$6,179 NOK 58.2K

0.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,126 NOK 38.9K

$5,479 NOK 51.6K

-24.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,607 NOK 34.0K

$5,006 NOK 47.2K

-27.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

-5.12%

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

Last update for Harstad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,387 in Harstad and $1,708 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 39% 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: $109 in Harstad vs $97.0 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $520 vs $532, with Harstad cheaper for home cooking.

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

Harstad vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Harstad is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 39% 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: $1,387 in Harstad versus $1,708 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Stavanger. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Harstad – a meal for two runs $109 versus $97.0 in Stavanger. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

For families, Harstad 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, Harstad 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 Harstad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.