Cost of Living Comparison Between San Rafael, CA and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between San Rafael, CA and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,409 in San Rafael, CA versus $2,695 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,635 in San Rafael, CA versus $4,140 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,861 in San Rafael, CA versus $5,584 in Stavanger.

Living in San Rafael, CA is roughly 64% more expensive than Stavanger, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Rafael, CA 229% above, Stavanger 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.21 $22.21

$25.22 NOK 235

-11.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.1 $65.1

$119 NOK 1,113

-45.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.10 $11.10

$15.32 NOK 143

-27.55%

Cappuccino

$5.64 $5.64

$5.05 NOK 47.09

11.68%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$4.01 NOK 37.36

-32.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.46 NOK 32.25

-26.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 $6.13

$11.16 NOK 104

-45.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.29 $9.29

$9.94 NOK 92.7

-6.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.45 NOK 22.84

-50.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.10 NOK 28.90

28.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.64 $6.64

$4.61 NOK 42.97

44.03%

Eggs

$4.49 $4.49

$4.34 NOK 40.44

3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.41 $15.41

$12.93 NOK 120

19.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 $13.09

$16.27 NOK 152

-19.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.27 $18.27

$27.67 NOK 258

-33.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$3.41 NOK 31.76

46.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.62 NOK 24.42

12.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.11 $6.11

$3.01 NOK 28.07

102.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.68 $8.68

$4.55 NOK 42.42

90.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.07 NOK 19.28

87.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.99 NOK 27.85

32.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.47 NOK 23.00

-2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.84 NOK 17.14

59.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.13 $11.13

$15.09 NOK 141

-26.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 $12.85

$19.20 NOK 179

-33.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$3.55 NOK 33.07

-38.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$4.01 NOK 37.39

-14.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 $1.48

$4.48 NOK 41.78

-66.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.24 $30.24

$66.9 NOK 623

-54.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$15.00 NOK 140

-76.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.09 NOK 19.44

-24.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.32 $29.32

$102 NOK 951

-71.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.11 NOK 19.66

-41.71%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$33.8K NOK 315.5K

-21.20%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$33.0K NOK 307.7K

-18.58%

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

$189 $189

$191 NOK 1,782

-1.33%

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

$50.3 $50.3

$43.15 NOK 402

16.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 $60.5

$80.5 NOK 750

-24.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$250 $250

$56.0 NOK 522

346.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.32 $40.32

$35.16 NOK 328

14.68%

Cinema Ticket

$14.76 $14.76

$19.31 NOK 180

-23.56%

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

$2,023 $2,023

$322 NOK 2,998

529.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$13.2K NOK 123.5K

80.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.58 $41.58

$117 NOK 1,087

-64.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 $38.28

$58.7 NOK 547

-34.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$107 NOK 994

-3.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$159 NOK 1,484

-21.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,328 $3,328

$1,580 NOK 14.7K

110.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,780 $2,780

$1,123 NOK 10.5K

147.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,984 $3,984

$2,783 NOK 25.9K

43.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,329 $3,329

$1,781 NOK 16.6K

86.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,411 $7,411

$5,940 NOK 55.4K

24.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,396 $5,396

$5,361 NOK 50.0K

0.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,312 $5,312

$5,014 NOK 46.7K

5.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

4.51

40.13%

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

Last update for San Rafael, CA: April 25, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,328 in San Rafael, CA and $1,580 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Rafael, CA pays 6% 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: $65.0 in San Rafael, CA vs $119 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $481 vs $470, with Stavanger 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

San Rafael, CA vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stavanger wins on cost – living expenses run 64% lower than in San Rafael, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Stavanger the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

San Rafael, CA pays 6% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,328 in San Rafael, CA 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 $4,409 per month in San Rafael, CA versus $2,695 in Stavanger – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stavanger runs roughly 121% less than in San Rafael, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

Both work as nomad bases, but Stavanger delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,695 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Stavanger hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, San Rafael, CA 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 Stavanger gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in San Rafael, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.