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: $2,485 in Harstad versus $2,741 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,699 in Harstad versus $4,135 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,912 in Harstad versus $5,530 in Stavanger.

Living in Harstad costs roughly 9% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Harstad 85% above, Stavanger 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 NOK 125

$25.17 NOK 234

-46.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,145

$121 NOK 1,128

1.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.11 NOK 140

$15.07 NOK 140

0.27%

Cappuccino

$5.99 NOK 55.7

$4.98 NOK 46.28

20.28%

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

$3.44 NOK 31.99

$4.03 NOK 37.46

-14.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 NOK 28.55

$3.35 NOK 31.18

-8.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.11 NOK 103

$11.18 NOK 104

-0.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.20 NOK 104

$10.23 NOK 95.2

9.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 NOK 21.67

$2.37 NOK 22.02

-1.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 NOK 29.38

$3.03 NOK 28.22

4.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 NOK 28.84

$4.48 NOK 41.64

-30.80%

Eggs

$4.28 NOK 39.79

$4.35 NOK 40.46

-1.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 NOK 98.2

$13.27 NOK 123

-20.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.15 NOK 141

$16.31 NOK 152

-7.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$38.04 NOK 354

$27.77 NOK 258

36.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 NOK 36.12

$3.54 NOK 32.92

9.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 NOK 25.80

$2.61 NOK 24.32

6.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 NOK 32.72

$3.00 NOK 27.90

17.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 NOK 43.16

$4.66 NOK 43.33

-0.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NOK 18.54

$2.12 NOK 19.73

-6.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 NOK 19.10

$2.97 NOK 27.59

-30.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 NOK 24.91

$2.50 NOK 23.27

7.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NOK 16.40

$1.76 NOK 16.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.25 NOK 142

$14.97 NOK 139

1.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.36 NOK 152

$18.93 NOK 176

-13.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 33.66

$3.62 NOK 33.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 NOK 42.14

$3.98 NOK 37.00

13.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.03 NOK 56.1

$4.45 NOK 41.34

35.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.3 NOK 737

$67.7 NOK 630

17.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.82 NOK 119

$15.12 NOK 141

-15.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 NOK 13.41

$2.17 NOK 20.17

-33.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.5 NOK 470

$101 NOK 942

-50.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 NOK 19.78

$2.14 NOK 19.91

-0.47%

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

$33.5K NOK 311.9K

$34.2K NOK 317.7K

-1.84%

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

$30.4K NOK 282.3K

$32.6K NOK 303.0K

-6.84%

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

$159 NOK 1,480

$193 NOK 1,796

-17.57%

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

$33.50 NOK 312

$42.05 NOK 391

-20.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.7 NOK 714

$82.6 NOK 768

-7.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 NOK 451

$56.6 NOK 527

-14.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.46 NOK 330

$36.06 NOK 335

-1.66%

Cinema Ticket

$16.65 NOK 155

$19.57 NOK 182

-14.92%

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

$336 NOK 3,125

$322 NOK 2,992

4.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,048 NOK 47.0K

$13.2K NOK 122.8K

-61.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 NOK 718

$120 NOK 1,116

-35.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.68 NOK 304

$59.8 NOK 556

-45.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 NOK 1,089

$105 NOK 973

11.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 NOK 1,260

$158 NOK 1,473

-14.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 NOK 12.4K

$1,639 NOK 15.2K

-18.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,021 NOK 9,498

$1,140 NOK 10.6K

-10.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,200 NOK 20.5K

$2,764 NOK 25.7K

-20.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 NOK 13.4K

$1,791 NOK 16.7K

-19.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,987 NOK 55.7K

$5,956 NOK 55.4K

0.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,636 NOK 43.1K

$5,337 NOK 49.6K

-13.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,563 NOK 33.1K

$4,925 NOK 45.8K

-27.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.51

-5.32%

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

Last update for Harstad: April 19, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,331 in Harstad and $1,639 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 38% 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: $123 in Harstad vs $121 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $481 vs $470 per month, with Stavanger 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

Harstad vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Harstad is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Stavanger earns 38% 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: $1,331 in Harstad versus $1,639 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Stavanger pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Harstad – a meal for two runs $123 versus $121 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 10% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.