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: $4,981 in San Rafael, CA versus $3,202 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,381 in San Rafael, CA versus $4,642 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,780 in San Rafael, CA versus $6,082 in Stavanger.

Living in San Rafael, CA is roughly 56% more expensive than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Rafael, CA 264% above, Stavanger 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.40 $28.40

$25.74 NOK 243

10.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 $111

$97.4 NOK 917

14.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.85 $11.85

$16.15 NOK 152

-26.63%

Cappuccino

$4.71 $4.71

$6.37 NOK 60.0

-26.06%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$5.34 NOK 50.3

-42.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$4.43 NOK 41.75

-31.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$13.88 NOK 131

-56.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 $6.87

$12.16 NOK 115

-43.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.50 NOK 23.55

-42.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.60 NOK 33.96

17.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$9.67 $9.67

$3.96 NOK 37.33

144.19%

Eggs

$5.52 $5.52

$5.05 NOK 47.55

9.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.07 $21.07

$15.10 NOK 142

39.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.96 $16.96

$17.22 NOK 162

-1.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.17 $19.17

$35.93 NOK 339

-46.65%

Apples (1kg)

$7.33 $7.33

$3.71 NOK 34.97

97.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.78 NOK 26.20

0.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.62 $6.62

$3.49 NOK 32.84

89.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.74 $8.74

$5.04 NOK 47.53

73.41%

Potato (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$2.51 NOK 23.69

124.70%

Onion (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$3.12 NOK 29.43

46.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.91 NOK 27.45

8.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.76 $3.76

$2.42 NOK 22.84

55.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.07 $11.07

$17.89 NOK 169

-38.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 $13.79

$18.83 NOK 177

-26.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.94 NOK 37.16

-43.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$4.51 NOK 42.46

-28.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$4.82 NOK 45.41

-59.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 $65.7

$87.4 NOK 824

-24.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 $3.99

$6.37 NOK 60.0

-37.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.25 $4.25

$1.72 NOK 16.18

147.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.65 $28.65

$106 NOK 1,003

-73.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$2.25 NOK 21.21

-39.56%

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

$32.4K $32.4K

$49.6K NOK 467.6K

-34.67%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$42.3K NOK 398.5K

-35.96%

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

$254 $254

$251 NOK 2,362

1.38%

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

$85.6 $85.6

$35.70 NOK 336

139.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.0 $62.0

$83.6 NOK 788

-25.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 $120

$52.5 NOK 495

129.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.41 $29.41

$37.19 NOK 350

-20.92%

Cinema Ticket

$13.81 $13.81

$22.57 NOK 213

-38.81%

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

$2,076 $2,076

$330 NOK 3,112

528.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$14.5K NOK 136.6K

66.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 $60.6

$131 NOK 1,230

-53.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.53 $42.53

$60.9 NOK 574

-30.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 $93.9

$158 NOK 1,492

-40.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$210 NOK 1,978

-38.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,381 $3,381

$1,708 NOK 16.1K

97.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,234 $3,234

$1,391 NOK 13.1K

132.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,226 $4,226

$2,794 NOK 26.3K

51.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,975 $3,975

$2,084 NOK 19.6K

90.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,549 $7,549

$6,179 NOK 58.2K

22.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,340 $5,340

$5,479 NOK 51.6K

-2.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,855 $6,855

$5,006 NOK 47.2K

36.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

13.85%

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

Last update for San Rafael, CA: September 13, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,381 in San Rafael, CA and $1,708 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Rafael, CA pays 37% 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: $111 in San Rafael, CA vs $97.0 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $576 vs $532 per month, with Stavanger 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

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

Stavanger wins on cost – living expenses run 56% 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.

Average pay runs 37% higher in San Rafael, CA, 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: $3,381 in San Rafael, CA versus $1,708 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,981 per month in San Rafael, CA versus $3,202 in Stavanger – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stavanger runs roughly 33% 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 $3,202 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 56% less than in San Rafael, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.