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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,541 per month in Sandnes vs $2,773 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,940 per month in Sandnes vs $4,121 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,340 per month in Sandnes vs $5,469 in Stavanger, rent included.

Sandnes is about 8% cheaper than Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sandnes and Stavanger sit above the global median – Sandnes by 90%, Stavanger by 108%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.47 NOK 274

$25.15 NOK 242

13.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 NOK 1,177

$124 NOK 1,192

-1.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.21 NOK 127

$15.47 NOK 149

-14.61%

Cappuccino

$5.23 NOK 50.4

$5.09 NOK 49.03

2.75%

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

$3.50 NOK 33.71

$3.97 NOK 38.22

-11.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 NOK 28.39

$3.42 NOK 32.96

-13.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.20 NOK 98.2

$11.30 NOK 109

-9.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.03 NOK 96.6

$10.04 NOK 96.7

-0.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 20.29

$2.43 NOK 23.44

-13.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 NOK 32.96

$3.04 NOK 29.25

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 NOK 30.93

$4.50 NOK 43.33

-28.67%

Eggs

$4.26 NOK 41.07

$4.44 NOK 42.75

-4.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 NOK 121

$12.96 NOK 125

-3.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.98 NOK 135

$16.11 NOK 155

-13.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.26 NOK 349

$27.22 NOK 262

33.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 NOK 34.78

$3.47 NOK 33.44

4.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 24.70

$2.54 NOK 24.42

0.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 NOK 29.47

$3.10 NOK 29.88

-1.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 NOK 45.47

$4.76 NOK 45.84

-0.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 NOK 21.13

$2.16 NOK 20.77

1.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 NOK 21.78

$3.09 NOK 29.74

-26.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 NOK 26.94

$2.61 NOK 25.09

7.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NOK 18.24

$1.74 NOK 16.76

8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.08 NOK 145

$14.94 NOK 144

0.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.15 NOK 156

$17.99 NOK 173

-10.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 NOK 30.74

$3.49 NOK 33.64

-8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 NOK 38.60

$4.14 NOK 39.88

-3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.19 NOK 40.36

$4.67 NOK 44.97

-10.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.8 NOK 672

$68.4 NOK 659

1.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.93 NOK 144

$15.04 NOK 145

-0.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 NOK 19.77

$2.15 NOK 20.75

-4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.06 NOK 444

$101 NOK 975

-54.49%

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)

$35.0K NOK 337.4K

$34.5K NOK 332.2K

1.58%

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

$32.3K NOK 311.4K

$33.2K NOK 319.5K

-2.52%

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

$223 NOK 2,145

$191 NOK 1,840

16.61%

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

$43.73 NOK 421

$43.05 NOK 415

1.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.8 NOK 759

$81.9 NOK 789

-3.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 NOK 483

$56.0 NOK 539

-10.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.8 NOK 489

$34.99 NOK 337

45.04%

Cinema Ticket

$18.46 NOK 178

$19.39 NOK 187

-4.80%

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

$322 NOK 3,100

$315 NOK 3,035

2.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,185 NOK 88.5K

$12.8K NOK 123.1K

-28.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 NOK 1,156

$119 NOK 1,150

0.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 NOK 576

0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NOK 1,001

$107 NOK 1,028

-2.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,520

$161 NOK 1,550

-1.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 NOK 12.1K

$1,617 NOK 15.6K

-22.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 NOK 8,202

$1,134 NOK 10.9K

-24.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 NOK 16.3K

$2,719 NOK 26.2K

-37.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,465 NOK 14.1K

$1,738 NOK 16.7K

-15.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,886 NOK 66.3K

$5,982 NOK 57.6K

15.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 NOK 37.9K

$5,156 NOK 49.7K

-23.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,554 NOK 34.2K

$4,945 NOK 47.6K

-28.13%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,260 in Sandnes 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 39% 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 $122 in Sandnes versus $124 in Stavanger. Groceries tell a different story – $472 in Sandnes vs $466 in Stavanger – so Stavanger 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

Sandnes vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,811 per month in Sandnes 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 Sandnes, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $322 per month in Sandnes and $315 in Stavanger. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Stavanger – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,541 in Sandnes and $2,773 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.