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: $2,470 in Harstad versus $2,709 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,732 in Harstad versus $4,113 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,993 in Harstad versus $5,516 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 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 NOK 130

$25.19 NOK 241

-46.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,156

$121 NOK 1,158

-0.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.25 NOK 146

$15.28 NOK 146

-0.20%

Cappuccino

$6.21 NOK 59.4

$5.14 NOK 49.15

20.82%

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

$3.62 NOK 34.61

$3.91 NOK 37.42

-7.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 NOK 29.83

$3.29 NOK 31.53

-5.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 NOK 105

$11.23 NOK 107

-2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.23 NOK 108

$10.04 NOK 96.1

11.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 NOK 23.41

$2.34 NOK 22.41

4.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 NOK 31.58

$3.12 NOK 29.86

5.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 NOK 28.88

$4.59 NOK 43.92

-34.20%

Eggs

$4.14 NOK 39.66

$4.35 NOK 41.60

-4.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 NOK 100

$13.30 NOK 127

-21.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.42 NOK 148

$16.55 NOK 158

-6.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$37.05 NOK 355

$27.18 NOK 260

36.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 NOK 38.80

$3.43 NOK 32.83

18.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 NOK 25.51

$2.52 NOK 24.16

5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.77

$3.07 NOK 29.40

14.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 NOK 44.48

$4.60 NOK 44.00

1.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NOK 19.70

$2.13 NOK 20.44

-3.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NOK 18.93

$3.02 NOK 28.89

-34.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 NOK 25.57

$2.57 NOK 24.63

3.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NOK 16.85

$1.77 NOK 16.96

-0.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 NOK 143

$15.02 NOK 144

-0.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.83 NOK 152

$18.00 NOK 172

-12.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 NOK 33.29

$3.55 NOK 33.97

-1.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 NOK 44.96

$4.16 NOK 39.87

12.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.11 NOK 58.5

$4.44 NOK 42.49

37.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.3 NOK 759

$67.3 NOK 644

17.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.53 NOK 120

$14.99 NOK 143

-16.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.42

$2.16 NOK 20.68

-35.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.8 NOK 486

$102 NOK 976

-50.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 NOK 20.50

$2.12 NOK 20.31

0.94%

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

$33.3K NOK 319.0K

$33.9K NOK 324.6K

-1.70%

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

$30.4K NOK 291.0K

$32.9K NOK 315.4K

-7.74%

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

$162 NOK 1,552

$193 NOK 1,851

-16.16%

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

$32.24 NOK 309

$42.48 NOK 407

-24.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.7 NOK 734

$81.0 NOK 775

-5.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.64 NOK 466

$55.9 NOK 535

-12.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.38 NOK 339

$35.09 NOK 336

0.83%

Cinema Ticket

$16.78 NOK 161

$18.85 NOK 180

-10.98%

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

$334 NOK 3,194

$321 NOK 3,073

3.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,159 NOK 49.4K

$12.9K NOK 123.4K

-59.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 NOK 718

$117 NOK 1,124

-36.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.21 NOK 318

$58.0 NOK 555

-42.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 NOK 1,131

$103 NOK 989

14.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 NOK 1,303

$158 NOK 1,515

-14.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 NOK 12.4K

$1,633 NOK 15.6K

-20.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 NOK 9,627

$1,134 NOK 10.9K

-11.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,189 NOK 20.9K

$2,713 NOK 26.0K

-19.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,471 NOK 14.1K

$1,748 NOK 16.7K

-15.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,805 NOK 55.6K

$6,159 NOK 59.0K

-5.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,967 NOK 38.0K

$5,339 NOK 51.1K

-25.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,370 NOK 32.3K

$4,993 NOK 47.8K

-32.51%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,298 in Harstad and $1,633 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 48% 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: $121 in Harstad vs $121 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $480 vs $468, with Stavanger 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 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, salaries run 48% 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: $1,298 in Harstad versus $1,633 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 $121 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.