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: $2,415 in Mandal versus $2,699 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,779 in Mandal versus $4,150 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,143 in Mandal versus $5,601 in Stavanger.

Living in Mandal costs roughly 11% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mandal 81% above, Stavanger 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.83 NOK 238

$25.22 NOK 242

-1.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,164

$123 NOK 1,180

-1.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.14 NOK 145

$15.08 NOK 145

0.40%

Cappuccino

$5.17 NOK 49.56

$5.02 NOK 48.16

2.99%

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

$3.94 NOK 37.80

$3.89 NOK 37.28

1.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NOK 31.66

$3.40 NOK 32.64

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.14 NOK 107

$10.99 NOK 105

1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.00 NOK 96.0

$10.26 NOK 98.4

-2.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 NOK 21.12

$2.40 NOK 22.99

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 NOK 30.03

$3.11 NOK 29.80

0.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.65 NOK 44.58

$4.64 NOK 44.54

0.22%

Eggs

$3.08 NOK 29.57

$4.52 NOK 43.38

-31.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 NOK 124

$12.98 NOK 124

-0.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.88 NOK 152

$16.24 NOK 156

-2.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.97 NOK 259

$27.67 NOK 265

-2.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 NOK 34.18

$3.53 NOK 33.83

0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 NOK 25.01

$2.52 NOK 24.20

3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NOK 29.72

$3.05 NOK 29.27

1.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 NOK 45.89

$4.66 NOK 44.68

2.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 NOK 20.47

$2.05 NOK 19.66

3.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 NOK 29.04

$3.04 NOK 29.20

-0.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 NOK 14.91

$2.58 NOK 24.76

-39.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.55

$1.75 NOK 16.75

4.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.00 NOK 144

$15.11 NOK 145

-0.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.44 NOK 177

$17.96 NOK 172

2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 NOK 29.82

$3.54 NOK 33.99

-12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 NOK 28.31

$4.08 NOK 39.14

-27.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.32 NOK 41.40

$4.58 NOK 43.95

-5.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 NOK 692

$69.1 NOK 663

4.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 NOK 52.1

$15.37 NOK 147

-64.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 NOK 9.60

$2.07 NOK 19.85

-51.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$100 NOK 963

$103 NOK 983

-2.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 NOK 20.60

$2.21 NOK 21.17

-2.71%

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

$34.5K NOK 330.6K

$34.7K NOK 333.0K

-0.73%

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

$32.7K NOK 313.6K

$32.7K NOK 313.8K

-0.09%

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

$190 NOK 1,824

$192 NOK 1,842

-0.99%

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

$32.73 NOK 314

$42.41 NOK 407

-22.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.3 NOK 799

$80.9 NOK 776

2.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.46 NOK 474

$55.8 NOK 535

-11.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.77 NOK 334

$35.17 NOK 337

-1.14%

Cinema Ticket

$19.07 NOK 183

$19.02 NOK 182

0.26%

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

$324 NOK 3,110

$314 NOK 3,010

3.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 123.7K

$12.9K NOK 123.6K

0.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 NOK 1,153

$116 NOK 1,108

3.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 NOK 577

$58.4 NOK 560

3.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NOK 997

$107 NOK 1,030

-3.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,546

$157 NOK 1,510

2.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 NOK 11.8K

$1,595 NOK 15.3K

-22.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 NOK 8,556

$1,135 NOK 10.9K

-21.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 NOK 17.8K

$2,798 NOK 26.8K

-33.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 NOK 14.9K

$1,777 NOK 17.0K

-12.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,052 NOK 58.1K

$6,005 NOK 57.6K

0.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,993 NOK 38.3K

$5,223 NOK 50.1K

-23.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,304 NOK 41.3K

$4,909 NOK 47.1K

-12.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

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

Last update for Mandal: July 27, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,230 in Mandal and $1,595 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 14% 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 Mandal vs $123 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $452 vs $468 per month, with Mandal 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

Mandal vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 14% 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: $1,230 in Mandal versus $1,595 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,415 per month in Mandal versus $2,699 in Stavanger – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mandal runs roughly 4% 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 12% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.