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: $2,404 in Molde versus $2,699 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,650 in Molde versus $4,150 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,896 in Molde versus $5,601 in Stavanger.

Living in Molde costs roughly 11% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.04 NOK 237

$25.22 NOK 239

-0.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.8 NOK 776

$123 NOK 1,167

-33.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.47 NOK 128

$15.08 NOK 143

-10.68%

Cappuccino

$5.34 NOK 50.6

$5.02 NOK 47.61

6.37%

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

$2.87 NOK 27.22

$3.89 NOK 36.85

-26.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 NOK 25.04

$3.40 NOK 32.26

-22.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.99 NOK 85.3

$10.99 NOK 104

-18.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.19 NOK 96.6

$10.26 NOK 97.3

-0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 NOK 20.54

$2.40 NOK 22.72

-9.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 NOK 29.11

$3.11 NOK 29.46

-1.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.91 NOK 37.04

$4.64 NOK 44.03

-15.73%

Eggs

$2.98 NOK 28.26

$4.52 NOK 42.88

-34.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.97 NOK 85.0

$12.98 NOK 123

-30.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.07 NOK 162

$16.24 NOK 154

5.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.04 NOK 266

$27.67 NOK 262

1.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 NOK 23.63

$3.53 NOK 33.45

-29.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 NOK 28.38

$2.52 NOK 23.92

18.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NOK 32.43

$3.05 NOK 28.94

12.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.54 NOK 52.5

$4.66 NOK 44.17

18.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 NOK 14.64

$2.05 NOK 19.44

-24.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NOK 21.65

$3.04 NOK 28.86

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 NOK 25.66

$2.58 NOK 24.47

5.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 NOK 18.24

$1.75 NOK 16.56

9.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.08 NOK 171

$15.11 NOK 143

19.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.96 NOK 218

$17.96 NOK 170

27.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 NOK 27.21

$3.54 NOK 33.60

-18.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 NOK 37.35

$4.08 NOK 38.69

-3.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.28 NOK 40.61

$4.58 NOK 43.44

-6.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.5 NOK 772

$69.1 NOK 656

17.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 NOK 96.7

$15.37 NOK 146

-33.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.23

$2.07 NOK 19.62

-32.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.41 NOK 440

$103 NOK 972

-54.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 21.36

$2.21 NOK 20.92

1.81%

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

$35.4K NOK 335.9K

$34.7K NOK 329.2K

2.03%

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

$38.7K NOK 366.5K

$32.7K NOK 310.2K

18.15%

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

$241 NOK 2,285

$192 NOK 1,821

25.46%

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

$37.75 NOK 358

$42.41 NOK 402

-10.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 NOK 525

$80.9 NOK 767

-31.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.61 NOK 470

$55.8 NOK 529

-11.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.75 NOK 339

$35.17 NOK 333

1.65%

Cinema Ticket

$16.73 NOK 159

$19.02 NOK 180

-12.04%

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

$202 NOK 1,918

$314 NOK 2,975

-35.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 95.7K

$12.9K NOK 122.1K

-21.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.7 NOK 917

$116 NOK 1,096

-16.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 NOK 497

$58.4 NOK 553

-10.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 NOK 953

$107 NOK 1,018

-6.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,437

$157 NOK 1,493

-3.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 NOK 11.3K

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

-25.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 NOK 8,541

$1,135 NOK 10.8K

-20.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 NOK 13.3K

$2,798 NOK 26.5K

-49.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 NOK 13.8K

$1,777 NOK 16.9K

-18.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,005 NOK 56.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,223 NOK 49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,189 NOK 39.7K

$4,909 NOK 46.6K

-14.67%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,194 in Molde and $1,595 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 17% 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: $82.0 in Molde vs $123 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 vs $468 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, salaries run 17% 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: $1,194 in Molde versus $1,595 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $202 in Molde versus $314 in Stavanger. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% 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.