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: $2,463 in Mandal versus $2,689 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,836 in Mandal versus $4,070 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,210 in Mandal versus $5,451 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 83% above, Stavanger 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.33 NOK 240

$25.39 NOK 241

-0.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 NOK 1,133

$120 NOK 1,138

-0.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 NOK 141

$15.31 NOK 145

-2.81%

Cappuccino

$5.03 NOK 47.74

$5.03 NOK 47.77

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

$4.05 NOK 38.49

$3.88 NOK 36.83

4.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NOK 31.35

$3.47 NOK 32.89

-4.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.95 NOK 104

$10.98 NOK 104

-0.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.28 NOK 97.5

$10.21 NOK 96.9

0.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 20.05

$2.31 NOK 21.93

-8.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 NOK 29.51

$3.12 NOK 29.59

-0.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.57 NOK 43.40

$4.58 NOK 43.48

-0.22%

Eggs

$3.11 NOK 29.51

$4.48 NOK 42.52

-30.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 NOK 123

$12.90 NOK 122

0.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.29 NOK 155

$16.73 NOK 159

-2.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.67 NOK 263

$27.83 NOK 264

-0.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.95

$3.48 NOK 33.01

2.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 24.25

$2.64 NOK 25.03

-3.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NOK 28.66

$3.11 NOK 29.53

-2.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 NOK 45.59

$4.68 NOK 44.37

2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NOK 19.56

$2.08 NOK 19.77

-0.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 NOK 28.75

$3.08 NOK 29.27

-1.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 NOK 14.77

$2.47 NOK 23.47

-36.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NOK 16.67

$1.83 NOK 17.38

-3.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 NOK 147

$14.97 NOK 142

3.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 NOK 178

$18.46 NOK 175

1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 NOK 28.34

$3.68 NOK 34.89

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 NOK 27.97

$4.10 NOK 38.90

-28.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.14 NOK 39.32

$4.58 NOK 43.47

-9.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 NOK 692

$68.6 NOK 651

6.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.59 NOK 53.1

$15.31 NOK 145

-63.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 NOK 10.05

$2.06 NOK 19.57

-48.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$103 NOK 978

$100 NOK 953

2.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 NOK 20.54

$2.11 NOK 20.01

2.37%

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

$34.7K NOK 329.6K

$34.4K NOK 326.1K

1.09%

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

$33.4K NOK 317.2K

$32.4K NOK 307.3K

3.21%

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

$187 NOK 1,773

$190 NOK 1,806

-1.81%

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

$33.56 NOK 319

$42.20 NOK 401

-20.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.0 NOK 788

$83.1 NOK 789

-0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.88 NOK 464

$55.9 NOK 531

-12.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.60 NOK 338

$35.16 NOK 334

1.25%

Cinema Ticket

$19.07 NOK 181

$19.57 NOK 186

-2.55%

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

$320 NOK 3,040

$321 NOK 3,048

-0.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K NOK 124.5K

$13.0K NOK 123.1K

1.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 NOK 1,113

$116 NOK 1,098

1.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 NOK 551

$58.0 NOK 550

0.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NOK 1,000

$107 NOK 1,017

-1.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 NOK 1,538

$160 NOK 1,519

1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 NOK 11.7K

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

-23.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 NOK 8,415

$1,126 NOK 10.7K

-21.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 NOK 17.0K

$2,732 NOK 25.9K

-34.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,537 NOK 14.6K

$1,774 NOK 16.8K

-13.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,808 NOK 64.6K

$6,036 NOK 57.3K

12.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,481 NOK 42.5K

$5,366 NOK 50.9K

-16.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,425 NOK 42.0K

$5,104 NOK 48.4K

-13.30%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,228 in Mandal and $1,595 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: $119 in Mandal vs $120 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $454 vs $473 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 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Stavanger earns 15% 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: $1,228 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 $2,463 per month in Mandal versus $2,689 in Stavanger – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mandal runs roughly 6% 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 9% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.