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: $2,489 in Mandal versus $2,695 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,859 in Mandal versus $4,140 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,229 in Mandal versus $5,584 in Stavanger.

Living in Mandal costs roughly 8% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mandal 86% above, Stavanger 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.16 NOK 234

$25.22 NOK 235

-0.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,119

$119 NOK 1,113

0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.03 NOK 140

$15.32 NOK 143

-1.89%

Cappuccino

$5.07 NOK 47.23

$5.05 NOK 47.09

0.40%

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

$3.88 NOK 36.12

$4.01 NOK 37.36

-3.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 NOK 31.60

$3.46 NOK 32.25

-2.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.09 NOK 103

$11.16 NOK 104

-0.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.14 NOK 94.5

$9.94 NOK 92.7

2.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 NOK 19.49

$2.45 NOK 22.84

-14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 NOK 29.34

$3.10 NOK 28.90

1.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 NOK 41.54

$4.61 NOK 42.97

-3.25%

Eggs

$2.99 NOK 27.90

$4.34 NOK 40.44

-31.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 NOK 124

$12.93 NOK 120

3.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.78 NOK 147

$16.27 NOK 152

-3.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.97 NOK 251

$27.67 NOK 258

-2.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 NOK 31.92

$3.41 NOK 31.76

0.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 NOK 24.39

$2.62 NOK 24.42

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 NOK 27.93

$3.01 NOK 28.07

-0.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 NOK 43.23

$4.55 NOK 42.42

1.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NOK 19.23

$2.07 NOK 19.28

-0.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 NOK 27.48

$2.99 NOK 27.85

-1.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 NOK 13.76

$2.47 NOK 23.00

-40.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 NOK 17.15

$1.84 NOK 17.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.40 NOK 143

$15.09 NOK 141

2.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.20 NOK 179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 NOK 28.96

$3.55 NOK 33.07

-12.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 NOK 27.27

$4.01 NOK 37.39

-26.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.13 NOK 38.47

$4.48 NOK 41.78

-7.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 NOK 677

$66.9 NOK 623

8.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 NOK 53.1

$15.00 NOK 140

-62.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 NOK 9.80

$2.09 NOK 19.44

-49.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.6 NOK 928

$102 NOK 951

-2.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 NOK 19.61

$2.11 NOK 19.66

-0.47%

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

$34.7K NOK 323.2K

$33.8K NOK 315.5K

2.45%

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

$32.1K NOK 299.6K

$33.0K NOK 307.7K

-2.66%

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

$194 NOK 1,805

$191 NOK 1,782

1.33%

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

$32.72 NOK 305

$43.15 NOK 402

-24.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.7 NOK 752

$80.5 NOK 750

0.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.72 NOK 454

$56.0 NOK 522

-13.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.29 NOK 329

$35.16 NOK 328

0.37%

Cinema Ticket

$18.92 NOK 176

$19.31 NOK 180

-2.02%

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

$320 NOK 2,985

$322 NOK 2,998

-0.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NOK 120.9K

$13.2K NOK 123.5K

-2.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 NOK 1,079

$117 NOK 1,087

-0.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.0 NOK 559

$58.7 NOK 547

2.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NOK 969

$107 NOK 994

-2.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,499

$159 NOK 1,484

0.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 NOK 11.3K

$1,580 NOK 14.7K

-23.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$888 NOK 8,280

$1,123 NOK 10.5K

-20.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 NOK 16.8K

$2,783 NOK 25.9K

-35.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 NOK 14.5K

$1,781 NOK 16.6K

-12.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,484 NOK 51.1K

$5,940 NOK 55.4K

-7.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,627 NOK 43.1K

$5,361 NOK 50.0K

-13.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,425 NOK 41.2K

$5,014 NOK 46.7K

-11.75%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,210 in Mandal and $1,580 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 13% 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: $120 in Mandal vs $119 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $450 vs $470, 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Stavanger earns 13% less. 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: $1,210 in Mandal versus $1,580 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,489 per month in Mandal versus $2,695 in Stavanger – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mandal runs roughly 9% 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 8% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.