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: $4,496 in San Rafael, CA versus $2,699 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,703 in San Rafael, CA versus $4,150 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,911 in San Rafael, CA versus $5,601 in Stavanger.

Living in San Rafael, CA is roughly 67% more expensive than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Rafael, CA 238% above, Stavanger 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.79 $22.79

$25.22 NOK 239

-9.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.9 $63.9

$123 NOK 1,167

-48.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 $10.98

$15.08 NOK 143

-27.19%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$5.02 NOK 47.61

14.94%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$3.89 NOK 36.85

-32.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$3.40 NOK 32.26

-26.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

$10.99 NOK 104

-44.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.76 $9.76

$10.26 NOK 97.3

-4.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.40 NOK 22.72

-48.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 $4.09

$3.11 NOK 29.46

31.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.72 $6.72

$4.64 NOK 44.03

44.83%

Eggs

$4.57 $4.57

$4.52 NOK 42.88

1.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.10 $15.10

$12.98 NOK 123

16.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.80 $12.80

$16.24 NOK 154

-21.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 $18.25

$27.67 NOK 262

-34.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$3.53 NOK 33.45

35.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.52 NOK 23.92

11.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.21 $6.21

$3.05 NOK 28.94

103.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.69 $8.69

$4.66 NOK 44.17

86.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.05 NOK 19.44

83.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.04 NOK 28.86

28.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.58 NOK 24.47

-6.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.75 NOK 16.56

61.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.92 $10.92

$15.11 NOK 143

-27.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.69 $13.69

$17.96 NOK 170

-23.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$3.54 NOK 33.60

-38.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.08 NOK 38.69

-17.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 $1.48

$4.58 NOK 43.44

-67.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.52 $29.52

$69.1 NOK 656

-57.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$15.37 NOK 146

-76.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.07 NOK 19.62

-22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.10 $29.10

$103 NOK 972

-71.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.21 NOK 20.92

-44.34%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$34.7K NOK 329.2K

-21.21%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$32.7K NOK 310.2K

-18.47%

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

$186 $186

$192 NOK 1,821

-3.14%

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

$50.4 $50.4

$42.41 NOK 402

18.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 $59.9

$80.9 NOK 767

-25.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$249 $249

$55.8 NOK 529

346.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.40 $40.40

$35.17 NOK 333

14.87%

Cinema Ticket

$14.22 $14.22

$19.02 NOK 180

-25.24%

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

$1,989 $1,989

$314 NOK 2,975

533.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$12.9K NOK 122.1K

85.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.19 $41.19

$116 NOK 1,096

-64.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.95 $38.95

$58.4 NOK 553

-33.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$107 NOK 1,018

-2.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$157 NOK 1,493

-22.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,366 $3,366

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

111.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,805 $2,805

$1,135 NOK 10.8K

147.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,016 $4,016

$2,798 NOK 26.5K

43.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,294 $3,294

$1,777 NOK 16.9K

85.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,435 $7,435

$6,005 NOK 56.9K

23.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,308 $5,308

$5,223 NOK 49.5K

1.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,247 $6,247

$4,909 NOK 46.6K

27.25%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,366 in San Rafael, CA and $1,595 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Rafael, CA pays 27% 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: $64.0 in San Rafael, CA vs $123 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $479 vs $468, 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 67% 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 27% 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: $3,366 in San Rafael, CA versus $1,595 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,496 per month in San Rafael, CA versus $2,699 in Stavanger – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stavanger runs roughly 134% 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 $2,699 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 67% less than in San Rafael, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.