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: $2,442 in Molde versus $3,202 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,697 in Molde versus $4,642 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,952 in Molde versus $6,082 in Stavanger.

Living in Molde costs roughly 24% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Molde 79% above, Stavanger 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.59 NOK 288

$25.74 NOK 242

18.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 NOK 808

$97.4 NOK 917

-11.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.94 NOK 150

$16.15 NOK 152

-1.30%

Cappuccino

$5.17 NOK 48.70

$6.37 NOK 60.0

-18.84%

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

$3.29 NOK 31.01

$5.34 NOK 50.3

-38.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 NOK 33.70

$4.43 NOK 41.74

-19.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.67 NOK 110

$13.88 NOK 131

-15.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.52 NOK 99.2

$12.16 NOK 115

-13.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.13 NOK 29.46

$2.50 NOK 23.54

25.20%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 NOK 39.85

$3.60 NOK 33.95

17.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.11 NOK 38.69

$3.96 NOK 37.32

3.79%

Eggs

$5.24 NOK 49.35

$5.05 NOK 47.53

3.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.57 NOK 175

$15.10 NOK 142

22.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.04 NOK 151

$17.22 NOK 162

-6.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.93 NOK 339

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.76

$3.71 NOK 34.96

-6.20%

Banana (1kg)

$3.28 NOK 30.89

$2.78 NOK 26.20

17.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 NOK 28.97

$3.49 NOK 32.83

-11.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 NOK 46.41

$5.04 NOK 47.51

-2.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 24.80

$2.51 NOK 23.68

4.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 NOK 22.88

$3.12 NOK 29.42

-22.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 NOK 26.05

$2.91 NOK 27.44

-4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 NOK 22.84

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.59 NOK 194

$17.89 NOK 169

15.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.72 NOK 223

$18.83 NOK 177

25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 NOK 39.25

$3.94 NOK 37.15

5.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 NOK 77.1

$4.51 NOK 42.45

81.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.20 NOK 48.98

$4.82 NOK 45.40

7.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.8 NOK 798

$87.4 NOK 824

-3.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$16.35 NOK 154

$6.37 NOK 60.0

156.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 NOK 16.18

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$106 NOK 1,003

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 NOK 21.75

$2.25 NOK 21.21

2.67%

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

$49.6K NOK 467.5K

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

$42.3K NOK 398.4K

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

$251 NOK 2,362

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

$21.65 NOK 204

$35.70 NOK 336

-39.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.4 NOK 795

$83.6 NOK 788

0.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.7 NOK 563

$52.5 NOK 495

13.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.19 NOK 350

Cinema Ticket

$18.95 NOK 178

$22.57 NOK 213

-16.04%

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

$214 NOK 2,013

$330 NOK 3,112

-35.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NOK 136.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 NOK 1,060

$131 NOK 1,230

-13.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 NOK 574

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 NOK 1,305

$158 NOK 1,492

-12.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 NOK 1,529

$210 NOK 1,977

-22.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 NOK 12.1K

$1,708 NOK 16.1K

-24.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$981 NOK 9,241

$1,391 NOK 13.1K

-29.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,899 NOK 17.9K

$2,794 NOK 26.3K

-32.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 NOK 15.8K

$2,084 NOK 19.6K

-19.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,179 NOK 58.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,479 NOK 51.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,356 NOK 41.0K

$5,006 NOK 47.2K

-12.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

5.27

-8.92%

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

Last update for Molde: September 14, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,288 in Molde and $1,708 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: $86.0 in Molde vs $97.0 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $429 vs $532 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 Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 31% 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: $1,288 in Molde versus $1,708 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $214 in Molde versus $330 in Stavanger. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% 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 31% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.