Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandnes and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandnes and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,496 per month in Sandnes vs $2,744 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,891 per month in Sandnes vs $4,187 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,286 per month in Sandnes vs $5,629 in Stavanger, rent included.

Sandnes is about 9% cheaper than Stavanger, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Sandnes and Stavanger sit above the global median – Sandnes by 86%, Stavanger by 105%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.26 NOK 263

$25.49 NOK 237

10.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,115

$121 NOK 1,122

-0.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.28 NOK 123

$15.31 NOK 142

-13.26%

Cappuccino

$5.23 NOK 48.55

$5.17 NOK 48.03

1.16%

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

$3.60 NOK 33.41

$4.04 NOK 37.57

-10.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 NOK 26.48

$3.47 NOK 32.20

-17.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.07 NOK 93.5

$11.15 NOK 104

-9.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.93 NOK 92.3

$10.27 NOK 95.4

-3.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 NOK 20.11

$2.45 NOK 22.73

-11.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 NOK 30.56

$3.02 NOK 28.03

8.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 NOK 29.94

$4.56 NOK 42.38

-29.39%

Eggs

$4.26 NOK 39.59

$4.46 NOK 41.46

-4.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 NOK 115

$13.11 NOK 122

-5.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.26 NOK 132

$16.72 NOK 155

-14.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.26 NOK 328

$27.15 NOK 252

29.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 NOK 32.48

$3.58 NOK 33.26

-2.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.19

$2.56 NOK 23.80

1.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 NOK 27.44

$2.98 NOK 27.72

-1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 NOK 44.58

$4.61 NOK 42.83

4.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 NOK 20.71

$2.09 NOK 19.42

6.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 NOK 21.31

$3.09 NOK 28.70

-25.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 25.87

$2.50 NOK 23.27

11.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 NOK 17.61

$1.81 NOK 16.81

4.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.93 NOK 139

$15.37 NOK 143

-2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.10 NOK 159

$19.14 NOK 178

-10.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 NOK 30.29

$3.63 NOK 33.70

-10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 NOK 38.62

$4.13 NOK 38.39

0.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 NOK 39.00

$4.66 NOK 43.31

-9.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.6 NOK 665

$67.1 NOK 623

6.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.17 NOK 141

$14.97 NOK 139

1.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 NOK 19.29

$2.12 NOK 19.70

-1.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.21 NOK 439

$99.8 NOK 927

-52.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 19.74

$2.15 NOK 19.96

-1.40%

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

$34.1K NOK 316.8K

$34.0K NOK 315.8K

0.33%

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

$33.4K NOK 310.5K

$32.8K NOK 304.4K

2.00%

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

$216 NOK 2,004

$191 NOK 1,778

12.73%

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

$44.16 NOK 410

$42.73 NOK 397

3.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.4 NOK 728

$81.9 NOK 761

-4.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.79 NOK 463

$55.8 NOK 519

-10.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 NOK 465

$35.64 NOK 331

40.57%

Cinema Ticket

$18.17 NOK 169

$19.51 NOK 181

-6.87%

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

$319 NOK 2,966

$318 NOK 2,957

0.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,931 NOK 83.0K

$12.8K NOK 118.6K

-30.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 NOK 1,093

$119 NOK 1,107

-1.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 NOK 538

$58.3 NOK 542

-0.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NOK 964

$106 NOK 981

-1.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,468

$157 NOK 1,460

0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 NOK 11.8K

$1,604 NOK 14.9K

-20.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$880 NOK 8,171

$1,115 NOK 10.4K

-21.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 NOK 15.6K

$2,756 NOK 25.6K

-38.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 NOK 13.6K

$1,738 NOK 16.1K

-15.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,183 NOK 66.7K

$6,190 NOK 57.5K

16.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,139 NOK 38.4K

$5,435 NOK 50.5K

-23.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,827 NOK 35.5K

$4,992 NOK 46.4K

-23.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

4.51

-2.44%

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

Last update for Sandnes: May 31, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,273 in Sandnes versus $1,604 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 30% 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 $120 in Sandnes versus $121 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $472 vs $472 – making Sandnes 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

Sandnes vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,745 per month in Sandnes and $4,117 in Stavanger. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $319 per month in Sandnes and $318 in Stavanger. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Stavanger, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,496 in Sandnes and $2,744 in Stavanger. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Sandnes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Sandnes. 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.