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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,641 per month in Sandefjord vs $3,179 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,855 per month in Sandefjord vs $4,668 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,069 per month in Sandefjord vs $6,158 in Stavanger, rent included.

Sandefjord is about 17% cheaper than Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sandefjord and Stavanger sit above the global median – Sandefjord by 92%, Stavanger by 131%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.59 NOK 201

$26.10 NOK 243

-17.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$131 NOK 1,217

$100 NOK 932

30.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.14 NOK 150

$15.98 NOK 149

1.00%

Cappuccino

$5.83 NOK 54.3

$6.53 NOK 60.9

-10.72%

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

$4.30 NOK 40.10

$5.57 NOK 51.9

-22.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NOK 20.11

$4.55 NOK 42.35

-52.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.14 NOK 94.5

$13.62 NOK 127

-25.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.85 NOK 101

$12.09 NOK 113

-10.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 NOK 20.42

$2.49 NOK 23.19

-12.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 NOK 25.52

$3.60 NOK 33.58

-23.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 NOK 41.05

$3.96 NOK 36.86

11.36%

Eggs

$4.21 NOK 39.22

$4.97 NOK 46.34

-15.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.07 NOK 140

$14.64 NOK 136

2.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.47 NOK 144

$17.53 NOK 163

-11.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.38 NOK 283

$35.75 NOK 333

-15.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 NOK 20.50

$3.70 NOK 34.49

-40.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 NOK 25.31

$2.86 NOK 26.62

-4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 NOK 20.88

$3.58 NOK 33.32

-37.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 NOK 27.11

$4.90 NOK 45.61

-40.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 NOK 10.29

$2.60 NOK 24.27

-57.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 24.54

$3.17 NOK 29.53

-17.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 NOK 29.03

$2.90 NOK 27.05

7.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 NOK 23.66

$2.31 NOK 21.54

9.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.39 NOK 153

$17.65 NOK 164

-7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 NOK 130

$19.17 NOK 179

-27.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NOK 32.76

$3.85 NOK 35.86

-8.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 NOK 40.07

$4.61 NOK 42.91

-6.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.37 NOK 50.0

$4.89 NOK 45.59

9.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 NOK 616

$87.1 NOK 812

-24.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.05 NOK 112

$6.48 NOK 60.4

85.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NOK 17.25

$1.78 NOK 16.62

3.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.4 NOK 469

$105 NOK 980

-52.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.34 NOK 21.78

$2.32 NOK 21.66

0.86%

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

$48.4K NOK 450.8K

$48.7K NOK 454.0K

-0.70%

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

$41.8K NOK 389.5K

$41.8K NOK 389.7K

-0.07%

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

$265 NOK 2,470

$257 NOK 2,397

3.04%

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

$32.82 NOK 306

$35.59 NOK 332

-7.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 NOK 527

$84.9 NOK 791

-33.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 NOK 474

$52.6 NOK 490

-3.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.7 NOK 556

$36.90 NOK 344

61.68%

Cinema Ticket

$16.18 NOK 151

$22.33 NOK 208

-27.54%

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

$245 NOK 2,283

$325 NOK 3,029

-24.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,965 NOK 46.3K

$14.4K NOK 134.0K

-65.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 NOK 948

$126 NOK 1,173

-19.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 NOK 422

$60.7 NOK 566

-25.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 NOK 766

$155 NOK 1,445

-46.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,477

$203 NOK 1,893

-21.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 NOK 11.5K

$1,746 NOK 16.3K

-29.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,021 NOK 9,514

$1,387 NOK 12.9K

-26.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 NOK 14.7K

$2,840 NOK 26.5K

-44.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,345 NOK 12.5K

$2,044 NOK 19.0K

-34.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,303 NOK 58.7K

$6,241 NOK 58.1K

0.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,734 NOK 34.8K

$5,530 NOK 51.5K

-32.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,997 NOK 37.2K

$5,111 NOK 47.6K

-21.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

5.27

-16.89%

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

Last update for Sandefjord: August 31, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,234 in Sandefjord versus $1,746 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 $131 in Sandefjord versus $100 in Stavanger. Groceries tell a different story – $454 in Sandefjord vs $530 in Stavanger – so Sandefjord wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 20% 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 $3,961 per month in Sandefjord and $4,768 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 32% less in Sandefjord. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $245 per month in Sandefjord and $325 in Stavanger. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,641 in Sandefjord and $3,179 in Stavanger. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sandefjord costs $2,641 versus $3,179 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.