Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandefjord and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandefjord and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,465 per month in Sandefjord vs $2,773 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,546 per month in Sandefjord vs $4,121 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,627 per month in Sandefjord vs $5,469 in Stavanger, rent included.

Sandefjord is about 11% cheaper than Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sandefjord and Stavanger sit above the global median – Sandefjord by 84%, Stavanger by 108%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.94 NOK 182

$25.15 NOK 242

-24.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 NOK 991

$124 NOK 1,192

-16.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.55 NOK 131

$15.47 NOK 149

-12.41%

Cappuccino

$4.89 NOK 47.14

$5.09 NOK 49.03

-3.93%

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

$2.46 NOK 23.65

$3.97 NOK 38.22

-38.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NOK 20.76

$3.42 NOK 32.96

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.97 NOK 86.4

$11.30 NOK 109

-20.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.87 NOK 95.1

$10.04 NOK 96.7

-1.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 NOK 21.07

$2.43 NOK 23.44

-9.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 NOK 29.15

$3.04 NOK 29.25

-0.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 NOK 26.41

$4.50 NOK 43.33

-39.11%

Eggs

$3.56 NOK 34.26

$4.44 NOK 42.75

-19.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 NOK 109

$12.96 NOK 125

-12.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.37 NOK 158

$16.11 NOK 155

1.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.28 NOK 330

$27.22 NOK 262

25.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 NOK 27.55

$3.47 NOK 33.44

-17.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NOK 21.95

$2.54 NOK 24.42

-10.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 NOK 22.27

$3.10 NOK 29.88

-25.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.67

$4.76 NOK 45.84

-24.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NOK 19.96

$2.16 NOK 20.77

-4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 NOK 21.43

$3.09 NOK 29.74

-28.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 NOK 25.33

$2.61 NOK 25.09

0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 NOK 18.37

$1.74 NOK 16.76

9.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.30 NOK 138

$14.94 NOK 144

-4.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 NOK 126

$17.99 NOK 173

-27.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.71 NOK 35.69

$3.49 NOK 33.64

6.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 NOK 39.61

$4.14 NOK 39.88

-0.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.08 NOK 48.96

$4.67 NOK 44.97

8.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.8 NOK 672

$68.4 NOK 659

2.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 NOK 97.8

$15.04 NOK 145

-32.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 NOK 14.08

$2.15 NOK 20.75

-32.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.7 NOK 604

$101 NOK 975

-38.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 20.33

$2.18 NOK 20.98

-3.21%

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

$35.7K NOK 344.2K

$34.5K NOK 332.2K

3.62%

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

$35.3K NOK 339.8K

$33.2K NOK 319.5K

6.38%

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

$222 NOK 2,141

$191 NOK 1,840

16.38%

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

$44.21 NOK 426

$43.05 NOK 415

2.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.50 NOK 371

$81.9 NOK 789

-53.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.70 NOK 469

$56.0 NOK 539

-13.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.19 NOK 339

$34.99 NOK 337

0.57%

Cinema Ticket

$12.85 NOK 124

$19.39 NOK 187

-33.73%

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

$286 NOK 2,750

$315 NOK 3,035

-9.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,812 NOK 46.4K

$12.8K NOK 123.1K

-62.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 998

$119 NOK 1,150

-13.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.60 NOK 449

$59.8 NOK 576

-22.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 NOK 986

$107 NOK 1,028

-4.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 NOK 1,349

$161 NOK 1,550

-13.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 NOK 11.9K

$1,617 NOK 15.6K

-23.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$992 NOK 9,551

$1,134 NOK 10.9K

-12.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 NOK 14.3K

$2,719 NOK 26.2K

-45.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 NOK 12.2K

$1,738 NOK 16.7K

-27.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,234 NOK 60.0K

$5,982 NOK 57.6K

4.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,514 NOK 33.8K

$5,156 NOK 49.7K

-31.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,850 NOK 37.1K

$4,945 NOK 47.6K

-22.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

4.51

-2.88%

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

Last update for Sandefjord: July 13, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,239 in Sandefjord versus $1,617 in Stavanger. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 28% higher in Stavanger, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Sandefjord versus $124 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $448 vs $466 – making Sandefjord the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Sandefjord vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stavanger costs about 13% more than Sandefjord, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,697 per month in Sandefjord and $4,159 in Stavanger. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sandefjord, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Sandefjord. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $286 per month in Sandefjord and $315 in Stavanger. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sandefjord, where all-in costs run around $2,465, than in Stavanger at $2,773. In Sandefjord it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stavanger it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sandefjord costs $2,465 versus $2,773 in Stavanger. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sandefjord. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stavanger makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.