🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,843 in Holmestrand versus $3,218 in Stavanger.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,373 in Holmestrand versus $4,673 in Stavanger.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,903 in Holmestrand versus $6,128 in Stavanger.
🌍Living in Holmestrand costs roughly 12% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Holmestrand106% above, Stavanger133% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Holmestrand
Stavanger
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.68NOK 201
$25.27NOK 234
-14.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$130NOK 1,203
$97.7NOK 906
32.71%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$16.34NOK 152
$16.20NOK 150
0.86%
Cappuccino
$5.91NOK 54.8
$6.50NOK 60.3
-9.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.23NOK 39.27
$5.65NOK 52.4
-25.13%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36NOK 31.21
$4.62NOK 42.85
-27.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$11.75NOK 109
$13.72NOK 127
-14.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$13.11NOK 122
$12.21NOK 113
7.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Holmestrand
Stavanger
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.66NOK 24.69
$2.39NOK 22.16
11.30%
White Bread(500g)
$4.16NOK 38.60
$3.69NOK 34.25
12.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.66NOK 43.25
$4.04NOK 37.50
15.35%
Eggs
$6.17NOK 57.3
$5.03NOK 46.67
22.66%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.72NOK 137
$15.21NOK 141
-3.22%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.47NOK 144
$17.62NOK 163
-12.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$30.67NOK 285
$35.78NOK 332
-14.28%
Apples(1kg)
$3.31NOK 30.72
$3.58NOK 33.17
-7.54%
Banana(1kg)
$2.68NOK 24.85
$2.90NOK 26.88
-7.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.65NOK 33.84
$3.63NOK 33.71
0.55%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.18NOK 57.3
$4.87NOK 45.18
26.90%
Potato(1kg)
$2.62NOK 24.32
$2.62NOK 24.32
-
Onion(1kg)
$2.85NOK 26.44
$3.24NOK 30.03
-12.04%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.14NOK 29.13
$2.85NOK 26.41
10.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.51NOK 23.28
$2.31NOK 21.43
8.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$19.52NOK 181
$17.75NOK 165
9.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.62NOK 154
$18.90NOK 175
-12.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.49NOK 32.41
$4.03NOK 37.43
-13.40%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38NOK 40.60
$4.53NOK 42.06
-3.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Holmestrand
Stavanger
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.84NOK 44.94
$4.75NOK 44.10
1.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$85.3NOK 791
$87.1NOK 808
-2.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$12.18NOK 113
$6.21NOK 57.6
96.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.93NOK 17.87
$1.80NOK 16.70
7.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$72.4NOK 671
$105NOK 971
-30.89%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.24NOK 20.79
$2.29NOK 21.25
-2.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.1KNOK 455.6K
$50.3KNOK 466.2K
-2.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$45.0KNOK 417.5K
$43.0KNOK 398.5K
4.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Holmestrand
Stavanger
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$423NOK 3,920
$261NOK 2,424
61.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.30NOK 300
$35.80NOK 332
-9.78%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.9NOK 528
$85.6NOK 794
-33.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Holmestrand
Stavanger
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$50.7NOK 470
$52.1NOK 484
-2.78%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$38.04NOK 353
$37.84NOK 351
0.53%
Cinema Ticket
$19.34NOK 179
$22.77NOK 211
-15.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Holmestrand
Stavanger
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$247NOK 2,288
$332NOK 3,079
-25.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1KNOK 149.4K
$14.2KNOK 132.2K
13.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Holmestrand
Stavanger
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102NOK 950
$127NOK 1,182
-19.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.7NOK 582
$61.6NOK 571
1.80%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$135NOK 1,256
$156NOK 1,447
-13.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$160NOK 1,480
$206NOK 1,914
-22.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Holmestrand
Stavanger
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,229NOK 11.4K
$1,757NOK 16.3K
-30.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,053NOK 9,764
$1,393NOK 12.9K
-24.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062NOK 19.1K
$2,793NOK 25.9K
-26.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,724NOK 16.0K
$2,062NOK 19.1K
-16.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,541NOK 60.7K
$6,206NOK 57.6K
5.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,202NOK 39.0K
$5,375NOK 49.9K
-21.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Holmestrand
Stavanger
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$5,012NOK 46.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.96
5.27
-5.88%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Holmestrand: September 7, 2026
Last update for Stavanger: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,229 in Holmestrand and $1,757 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $130 in Holmestrand vs $98.0 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $519 vs $533, with Holmestrand 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
Holmestrand vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Holmestrand or Stavanger?
Holmestrand wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Stavanger. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Holmestrand the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Holmestrand and in Stavanger?
You'd need roughly $4,265 in Holmestrand and $4,827 in Stavanger to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Holmestrand compared to Stavanger?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,229 in Holmestrand versus $1,757 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Holmestrand and in Stavanger?
Childcare runs $247 in Holmestrand versus $332 in Stavanger. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Holmestrand or in Stavanger?
Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Stavanger. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Holmestrand or in Stavanger?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Holmestrand is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Holmestrand or Stavanger?
Both work as nomad bases, but Holmestrand delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,843 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Holmestrand hard to pass up.
How safe is Holmestrand compared to Stavanger?
Safety-wise, Holmestrand 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Holmestrand 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.
Holmestrand vs other spots: cost of living compared