Cost of Living Comparison Between Karmøy and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Karmøy and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,422 in Karmøy versus $2,741 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,792 in Karmøy versus $4,135 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,161 in Karmøy versus $5,530 in Stavanger.

Living in Karmøy costs roughly 12% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Karmøy 81% above, Stavanger 105% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.28 NOK 235
$25.17 NOK 234
0.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$102 NOK 945
$121 NOK 1,128
-16.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.41 NOK 125
$15.07 NOK 140
-11.02%
Cappuccino
$4.88 NOK 45.36
$4.98 NOK 46.28
-2.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 NOK 29.04
$4.03 NOK 37.46
-22.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 NOK 26.51
$3.35 NOK 31.18
-14.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$10.03 NOK 93.2
$11.18 NOK 104
-10.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.37 NOK 87.1
$10.23 NOK 95.2
-8.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.19 NOK 20.38
$2.37 NOK 22.02
-7.59%
White Bread (500g)
$3.37 NOK 31.37
$3.03 NOK 28.22
11.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.20 NOK 29.75
$4.48 NOK 41.64
-28.57%
Eggs
$4.32 NOK 40.17
$4.35 NOK 40.46
-0.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.83 NOK 110
$13.27 NOK 123
-10.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.67 NOK 136
$16.31 NOK 152
-10.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$28.42 NOK 264
$27.77 NOK 258
2.34%
Apples (1kg)
$3.47 NOK 32.25
$3.54 NOK 32.92
-1.98%
Banana (1kg)
$2.46 NOK 22.85
$2.61 NOK 24.32
-5.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.25 NOK 30.20
$3.00 NOK 27.90
8.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 NOK 40.36
$4.66 NOK 43.33
-6.87%
Potato (1kg)
$2.44 NOK 22.73
$2.12 NOK 19.73
15.09%
Onion (1kg)
$2.58 NOK 24.01
$2.97 NOK 27.59
-13.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.79 NOK 25.93
$2.50 NOK 23.27
11.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 NOK 17.52
$1.76 NOK 16.39
6.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.77 NOK 128
$14.97 NOK 139
-8.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.22 NOK 169
$18.93 NOK 176
-3.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.35 NOK 31.12
$3.62 NOK 33.68
-7.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.93 NOK 36.57
$3.98 NOK 37.00
-1.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.28 NOK 39.80
$4.45 NOK 41.34
-3.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.7 NOK 686
$67.7 NOK 630
8.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$10.28 NOK 95.6
$15.12 NOK 141
-32.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.40 NOK 13.06
$2.17 NOK 20.17
-35.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$47.28 NOK 440
$101 NOK 942
-53.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.00 NOK 18.57
$2.14 NOK 19.91
-6.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K NOK 323.6K
$34.2K NOK 317.7K
1.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.2K NOK 355.1K
$32.6K NOK 303.0K
17.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$238 NOK 2,210
$193 NOK 1,796
23.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.95 NOK 353
$42.05 NOK 391
-9.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.9 NOK 510
$82.6 NOK 768
-33.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.2 NOK 467
$56.6 NOK 527
-11.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.73 NOK 323
$36.06 NOK 335
-3.69%
Cinema Ticket
$16.37 NOK 152
$19.57 NOK 182
-16.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$287 NOK 2,674
$322 NOK 2,992
-10.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.0K NOK 93.2K
$13.2K NOK 122.8K
-24.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.6 NOK 889
$120 NOK 1,116
-20.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.9 NOK 483
$59.8 NOK 556
-13.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 NOK 1,011
$105 NOK 973
3.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$151 NOK 1,401
$158 NOK 1,473
-4.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,206 NOK 11.2K
$1,639 NOK 15.2K
-26.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$903 NOK 8,396
$1,140 NOK 10.6K
-20.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,792 NOK 16.7K
$2,764 NOK 25.7K
-35.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,549 NOK 14.4K
$1,791 NOK 16.7K
-13.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,458 NOK 50.8K
$5,956 NOK 55.4K
-8.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,019 NOK 37.4K
$5,337 NOK 49.6K
-24.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,995 NOK 37.2K
$4,925 NOK 45.8K
-18.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.38
4.51
-2.88%

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

Last update for Karmøy: April 20, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,206 in Karmøy and $1,639 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 23% 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: $102 in Karmøy vs $121 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $454 vs $470 per month, with Karmøy 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
Karmøy vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Karmøy and Stavanger?
Karmøy and Stavanger differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,422 vs $2,741 including rent). Karmøy is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Stavanger earns 23% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Karmøy and Stavanger?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,206 in Karmøy versus $1,639 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Karmøy and Stavanger?
A monthly transit pass in Karmøy runs roughly 9% less than in Stavanger. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Karmøy and Stavanger?
Childcare runs $287 in Karmøy versus $322 in Stavanger. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Karmøy is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Karmøy and Stavanger?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Karmøy or Stavanger safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Karmøy 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.
Where should expats move: Karmøy or Stavanger?
Expats usually find Karmøy 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.

Karmøy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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