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: $4,458 in San Rafael, CA versus $2,773 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,640 in San Rafael, CA versus $4,172 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,822 in San Rafael, CA versus $5,570 in Stavanger.

Living in San Rafael, CA is roughly 61% more expensive than Stavanger, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Rafael, CA 234% above, Stavanger 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.67 $22.67

$25.16 NOK 238

-9.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 $64.8

$120 NOK 1,137

-46.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 $10.81

$14.88 NOK 141

-27.35%

Cappuccino

$5.69 $5.69

$5.21 NOK 49.33

9.21%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$3.91 NOK 37.04

-30.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.35 NOK 31.75

-26.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 $5.92

$10.96 NOK 104

-45.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.71 $9.71

$10.32 NOK 97.8

-5.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$2.34 NOK 22.21

-44.87%

White Bread (500g)

$4.00 $4.00

$3.14 NOK 29.78

27.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.85 $6.85

$4.45 NOK 42.15

53.93%

Eggs

$4.49 $4.49

$4.47 NOK 42.30

0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$13.02 NOK 123

17.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.12 $13.12

$16.38 NOK 155

-19.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.34 $18.34

$27.93 NOK 265

-34.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.59 NOK 34.00

34.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.55 NOK 24.13

15.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$3.06 NOK 28.99

98.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.39 $8.39

$4.74 NOK 44.89

77.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.15 NOK 20.36

80.93%

Onion (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.91 NOK 27.57

29.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.53 NOK 23.96

-1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.74 NOK 16.51

69.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.79 $10.79

$14.98 NOK 142

-27.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 $13.72

$18.43 NOK 175

-25.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$3.62 NOK 34.32

-42.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 $3.36

$4.14 NOK 39.23

-18.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$4.45 NOK 42.11

-65.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.47 $29.47

$68.1 NOK 645

-56.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 $3.41

$15.31 NOK 145

-77.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.13 NOK 20.21

-22.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.87 $28.87

$100 NOK 951

-71.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.22 NOK 21.07

-42.79%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$34.2K NOK 324.3K

-20.48%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$33.3K NOK 315.6K

-17.59%

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

$187 $187

$191 NOK 1,812

-2.16%

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

$51.4 $51.4

$42.07 NOK 398

22.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 $60.2

$81.5 NOK 772

-26.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$251 $251

$55.9 NOK 530

348.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.53 $39.53

$35.10 NOK 332

12.62%

Cinema Ticket

$14.47 $14.47

$18.95 NOK 180

-23.64%

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

$1,991 $1,991

$314 NOK 2,976

533.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$12.8K NOK 121.5K

81.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.89 $40.89

$117 NOK 1,110

-65.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.17 $38.17

$60.1 NOK 569

-36.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$105 NOK 994

-3.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$156 NOK 1,480

-22.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,353 $3,353

$1,591 NOK 15.1K

110.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,875 $2,875

$1,148 NOK 10.9K

150.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,069 $4,069

$2,775 NOK 26.3K

46.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,331 $3,331

$1,773 NOK 16.8K

87.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,600 $7,600

$6,070 NOK 57.5K

25.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,345 $5,345

$5,176 NOK 49.0K

3.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,434 $5,434

$4,897 NOK 46.4K

10.97%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,353 in San Rafael, CA and $1,591 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Rafael, CA pays 11% 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 $120 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $482 vs $471, 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 61% 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 11% 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: $3,353 in San Rafael, CA versus $1,591 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,458 per month in San Rafael, CA versus $2,773 in Stavanger – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stavanger runs roughly 131% 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 $2,773 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 61% less than in San Rafael, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.