Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandal and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandal and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,842 in Mandal versus $3,218 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,323 in Mandal versus $4,673 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,805 in Mandal versus $6,128 in Stavanger.

Living in Mandal costs roughly 12% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mandal 106% above, Stavanger 133% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.74 NOK 239

$25.27 NOK 235

1.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.0 NOK 919

$97.7 NOK 908

1.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.23 NOK 151

$16.20 NOK 151

0.19%

Cappuccino

$6.42 NOK 59.7

$6.50 NOK 60.4

-1.23%

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

$5.36 NOK 49.79

$5.65 NOK 52.5

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 NOK 40.37

$4.62 NOK 42.91

-5.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.73 NOK 128

$13.72 NOK 128

0.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.09 NOK 112

$12.21 NOK 113

-0.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 20.88

$2.39 NOK 22.19

-5.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 NOK 34.54

$3.69 NOK 34.30

0.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 NOK 35.42

$4.04 NOK 37.55

-5.69%

Eggs

$3.27 NOK 30.38

$5.03 NOK 46.74

-34.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.93 NOK 129

$15.21 NOK 141

-8.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.21 NOK 160

$17.62 NOK 164

-2.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.53 NOK 330

$35.78 NOK 332

-0.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 NOK 33.04

$3.58 NOK 33.21

-0.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 NOK 25.77

$2.90 NOK 26.92

-4.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 NOK 33.35

$3.63 NOK 33.75

-1.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 NOK 44.89

$4.87 NOK 45.24

-0.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 NOK 23.93

$2.62 NOK 24.35

-1.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 NOK 29.35

$3.24 NOK 30.07

-2.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 NOK 14.57

$2.85 NOK 26.45

-44.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 NOK 21.57

$2.31 NOK 21.46

0.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.60 NOK 164

$17.75 NOK 165

-0.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.97 NOK 176

$18.90 NOK 176

0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 NOK 29.44

$4.03 NOK 37.48

-21.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 NOK 28.53

$4.53 NOK 42.12

-32.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.85 NOK 45.03

$4.75 NOK 44.17

2.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 NOK 789

$87.1 NOK 809

-2.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.06 NOK 56.3

$6.21 NOK 57.7

-2.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 NOK 11.63

$1.80 NOK 16.72

-30.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$104 NOK 970

$105 NOK 973

-0.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.13

$2.29 NOK 21.28

-0.87%

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

$49.8K NOK 462.5K

$50.3K NOK 466.8K

-0.93%

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

$42.5K NOK 394.6K

$43.0K NOK 399.1K

-1.11%

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

$243 NOK 2,258

$261 NOK 2,428

-6.99%

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

$34.78 NOK 323

$35.80 NOK 333

-2.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.7 NOK 787

$85.6 NOK 796

-1.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.5 NOK 478

$52.1 NOK 484

-1.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.11 NOK 345

$37.84 NOK 352

-1.93%

Cinema Ticket

$22.10 NOK 205

$22.77 NOK 211

-2.94%

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

$321 NOK 2,980

$332 NOK 3,083

-3.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K NOK 132.7K

$14.2K NOK 132.3K

0.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$129 NOK 1,198

$127 NOK 1,184

1.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.1 NOK 577

$61.6 NOK 572

0.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 NOK 1,453

$156 NOK 1,449

0.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 NOK 1,888

$206 NOK 1,917

-1.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 NOK 11.4K

$1,757 NOK 16.3K

-30.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 NOK 9,645

$1,393 NOK 12.9K

-25.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 NOK 19.0K

$2,793 NOK 25.9K

-26.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 NOK 15.8K

$2,062 NOK 19.2K

-17.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,369 NOK 59.2K

$6,206 NOK 57.7K

2.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,272 NOK 39.7K

$5,375 NOK 49.9K

-20.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,365 NOK 40.5K

$5,012 NOK 46.6K

-12.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

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

Last update for Mandal: September 8, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,229 in Mandal and $1,757 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 15% 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: $99.0 in Mandal vs $98.0 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $503 vs $533, with Mandal 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

Mandal vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 15% 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: $1,229 in Mandal versus $1,757 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,842 per month in Mandal versus $3,218 in Stavanger – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mandal runs roughly 3% less than in Stavanger. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Mandal is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Mandal 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, Mandal 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 Mandal 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.