🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,490 in Karmøy versus $2,744 in Stavanger.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,838 in Karmøy versus $4,187 in Stavanger.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,185 in Karmøy versus $5,629 in Stavanger.
🙂Living in Karmøy costs roughly 9% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Karmøy86% above, Stavanger105% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.81NOK 235
$25.49NOK 241
-2.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.6NOK 941
$121NOK 1,142
-17.57%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.60NOK 129
$15.31NOK 145
-11.17%
Cappuccino
$4.83NOK 45.66
$5.17NOK 48.88
-6.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19NOK 30.20
$4.04NOK 38.23
-21.04%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94NOK 27.76
$3.47NOK 32.77
-15.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$9.93NOK 93.9
$11.15NOK 105
-10.94%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.38NOK 88.7
$10.27NOK 97.1
-8.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.25NOK 21.30
$2.45NOK 23.13
-8.16%
White Bread(500g)
$3.32NOK 31.41
$3.02NOK 28.53
9.93%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.33NOK 31.49
$4.56NOK 43.13
-26.97%
Eggs
$4.42NOK 41.83
$4.46NOK 42.19
-0.90%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.17NOK 115
$13.11NOK 124
-7.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.81NOK 140
$16.72NOK 158
-11.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$28.09NOK 266
$27.15NOK 257
3.46%
Apples(1kg)
$3.53NOK 33.35
$3.58NOK 33.85
-1.40%
Banana(1kg)
$2.50NOK 23.61
$2.56NOK 24.22
-2.34%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.37NOK 31.89
$2.98NOK 28.21
13.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.50NOK 42.53
$4.61NOK 43.59
-2.39%
Potato(1kg)
$2.48NOK 23.44
$2.09NOK 19.76
18.66%
Onion(1kg)
$2.50NOK 23.59
$3.09NOK 29.21
-19.09%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.76NOK 26.14
$2.50NOK 23.68
10.40%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.92NOK 18.16
$1.81NOK 17.11
6.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.83NOK 131
$15.37NOK 145
-10.02%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.34NOK 173
$19.14NOK 181
-4.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.26NOK 30.83
$3.63NOK 34.29
-10.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.08NOK 38.61
$4.13NOK 39.06
-1.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.31NOK 40.74
$4.66NOK 44.07
-7.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$72.7NOK 687
$67.1NOK 634
8.36%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.02NOK 94.7
$14.97NOK 141
-33.07%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.45NOK 13.69
$2.12NOK 20.05
-31.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$46.91NOK 443
$99.8NOK 943
-52.99%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.08NOK 19.67
$2.15NOK 20.31
-3.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.1KNOK 331.8K
$34.0KNOK 321.3K
3.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2KNOK 371.0K
$32.8KNOK 309.8K
19.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$244NOK 2,306
$191NOK 1,809
27.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.96NOK 359
$42.73NOK 404
-11.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.4NOK 523
$81.9NOK 774
-32.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.25NOK 466
$55.8NOK 528
-11.80%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.82NOK 329
$35.64NOK 337
-2.30%
Cinema Ticket
$16.76NOK 158
$19.51NOK 184
-14.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$282NOK 2,668
$318NOK 3,009
-11.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.3KNOK 97.0K
$12.8KNOK 120.7K
-19.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.9NOK 906
$119NOK 1,126
-19.52%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.7NOK 488
$58.3NOK 551
-11.40%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$107NOK 1,009
$106NOK 998
1.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$154NOK 1,451
$157NOK 1,486
-2.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,219NOK 11.5K
$1,604NOK 15.2K
-23.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$877NOK 8,293
$1,115NOK 10.5K
-21.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,789NOK 16.9K
$2,756NOK 26.1K
-35.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,532NOK 14.5K
$1,738NOK 16.4K
-11.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,260NOK 59.2K
$6,190NOK 58.5K
1.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,632NOK 43.8K
$5,435NOK 51.4K
-14.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Karmøy
Stavanger
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,169NOK 39.4K
$4,992NOK 47.2K
-16.50%
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: June 2, 2026
Last update for Stavanger: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,219 in Karmøy and $1,604 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Stavanger pays 20% 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: $100 in Karmøy vs $121 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $458 vs $472 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 10% in total monthly costs ($2,490 vs $2,744 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 20% 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: $1,219 in Karmøy versus $1,604 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 8% 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 $282 in Karmøy versus $318 in Stavanger. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,490 in Karmøy versus $2,744 in Stavanger, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Karmøy but tight or insufficient in Stavanger. The gap between the two cities makes Karmøy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
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 10% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.