Cost of Living Comparison Between Molde and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Molde and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,410 in Molde versus $2,689 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,669 in Molde versus $4,070 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,929 in Molde versus $5,451 in Stavanger.

Living in Molde costs roughly 10% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Molde 79% above, Stavanger 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.59 NOK 243

$25.39 NOK 241

0.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 NOK 754

$120 NOK 1,138

-33.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.54 NOK 129

$15.31 NOK 145

-11.56%

Cappuccino

$5.18 NOK 49.13

$5.03 NOK 47.77

2.98%

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

$2.88 NOK 27.32

$3.88 NOK 36.83

-25.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 NOK 25.26

$3.47 NOK 32.89

-23.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.06 NOK 86.0

$10.98 NOK 104

-17.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.96 NOK 94.6

$10.21 NOK 96.9

-2.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 NOK 20.87

$2.31 NOK 21.93

-4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 NOK 28.58

$3.12 NOK 29.59

-3.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.87 NOK 36.76

$4.58 NOK 43.48

-15.50%

Eggs

$3.09 NOK 29.28

$4.48 NOK 42.52

-31.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 NOK 85.9

$12.90 NOK 122

-29.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.79 NOK 159

$16.73 NOK 159

0.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.72 NOK 263

$27.83 NOK 264

-0.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 NOK 23.75

$3.48 NOK 33.01

-28.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 NOK 29.03

$2.64 NOK 25.03

15.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NOK 32.13

$3.11 NOK 29.53

8.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.55 NOK 52.6

$4.68 NOK 44.37

18.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 NOK 14.56

$2.08 NOK 19.77

-26.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 NOK 21.70

$3.08 NOK 29.27

-25.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 NOK 24.46

$2.47 NOK 23.47

4.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 NOK 17.51

$1.83 NOK 17.38

0.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.27 NOK 173

$14.97 NOK 142

22.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.17 NOK 173

$18.46 NOK 175

-1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 NOK 27.65

$3.68 NOK 34.89

-20.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 NOK 38.06

$4.10 NOK 38.90

-2.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.31 NOK 40.89

$4.58 NOK 43.47

-5.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.8 NOK 786

$68.6 NOK 651

20.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.18 NOK 96.6

$15.31 NOK 145

-33.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 13.10

$2.06 NOK 19.57

-33.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.05 NOK 447

$100 NOK 953

-53.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 NOK 21.31

$2.11 NOK 20.01

6.16%

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

$35.9K NOK 340.5K

$34.4K NOK 326.1K

4.43%

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

$39.0K NOK 370.5K

$32.4K NOK 307.3K

20.58%

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

$241 NOK 2,291

$190 NOK 1,806

26.89%

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

$37.92 NOK 360

$42.20 NOK 401

-10.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NOK 518

$83.1 NOK 789

-34.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.0 NOK 475

$55.9 NOK 531

-10.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.26 NOK 335

$35.16 NOK 334

0.28%

Cinema Ticket

$16.69 NOK 158

$19.57 NOK 186

-14.72%

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

$200 NOK 1,901

$321 NOK 3,048

-37.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K NOK 97.5K

$13.0K NOK 123.1K

-20.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.7 NOK 927

$116 NOK 1,098

-15.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 NOK 497

$58.0 NOK 550

-9.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 NOK 964

$107 NOK 1,017

-5.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 NOK 1,434

$160 NOK 1,519

-5.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 NOK 11.1K

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

-26.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 NOK 8,574

$1,126 NOK 10.7K

-19.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 NOK 13.7K

$2,732 NOK 25.9K

-47.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 NOK 13.8K

$1,774 NOK 16.8K

-17.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,190 NOK 58.8K

$6,036 NOK 57.3K

2.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,482 NOK 42.5K

$5,366 NOK 50.9K

-16.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,624 NOK 34.4K

$5,104 NOK 48.4K

-29.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.75

4.51

-16.85%

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

Last update for Molde: June 7, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,174 in Molde and $1,595 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 41% 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: $79.0 in Molde vs $120 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $473 per month, with Molde 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

Molde vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, Stavanger earns 41% 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: $1,174 in Molde versus $1,595 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $200 in Molde versus $321 in Stavanger. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Stavanger. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

For families, Molde 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, Molde 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 Molde 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.