Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Barbara, CA and Haugesund Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Barbara, CA and Haugesund

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,684 per month in Santa Barbara, CA vs $2,472 in Haugesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,686 per month in Santa Barbara, CA vs $3,694 in Haugesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,689 per month in Santa Barbara, CA vs $4,915 in Haugesund, rent included.

Santa Barbara, CA costs about 49% more than Haugesund, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Santa Barbara, CA and Haugesund sit above the global median – Santa Barbara, CA by 176%, Haugesund by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.44 $25.44

$21.59 NOK 208

17.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.3 $99.3

$103 NOK 987

-3.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.02 $10.02

$13.89 NOK 134

-27.86%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.55 NOK 43.87

24.40%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$3.15 NOK 30.31

-13.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.95 NOK 28.39

-30.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.02 $8.02

$10.78 NOK 104

-25.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.95 $8.95

$9.59 NOK 92.4

-6.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$2.07 NOK 19.94

-36.71%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.36 NOK 32.34

50.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.83 NOK 27.26

69.26%

Eggs

$5.46 $5.46

$4.49 NOK 43.21

21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.36 $12.36

$11.32 NOK 109

9.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 $11.65

$14.94 NOK 144

-22.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.26 $14.26

$27.79 NOK 268

-48.69%

Apples (1kg)

$6.37 $6.37

$3.08 NOK 29.71

106.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.17 NOK 20.87

-14.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$3.72 NOK 35.87

1.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$4.05 NOK 39.03

34.07%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.64 NOK 25.45

24.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.78 NOK 26.80

5.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.91 NOK 28.04

-29.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.05 NOK 19.78

1.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.91 $12.91

$15.99 NOK 154

-19.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 $16.11

$14.47 NOK 139

11.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$3.43 NOK 33.03

-48.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$4.31 NOK 41.55

-6.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 $1.74

$3.63 NOK 34.96

-52.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 $63.6

$66.1 NOK 636

-3.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 $5.92

$14.15 NOK 136

-58.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.58 NOK 15.23

27.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.2 $50.2

$53.8 NOK 519

-6.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.23 NOK 21.51

-42.60%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$35.6K NOK 342.8K

-21.01%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$40.0K NOK 385.6K

-35.88%

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

$201 $201

$240 NOK 2,309

-15.98%

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

$54.9 $54.9

$38.59 NOK 372

42.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 $72.5

$55.6 NOK 535

30.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 $65.9

$44.53 NOK 429

48.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.16 $18.16

$36.05 NOK 347

-49.63%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 $12.45

$16.25 NOK 156

-23.38%

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

$1,425 $1,425

$281 NOK 2,703

407.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.7K $37.7K

$2,849 NOK 27.4K

1221.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 $68.8

$82.8 NOK 798

-16.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 $40.29

$56.3 NOK 542

-28.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 $77.6

$96.1 NOK 926

-19.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$145 NOK 1,395

-2.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,649 $2,649

$1,659 NOK 16.0K

59.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,302 $2,302

$1,039 NOK 10.0K

121.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,177 $5,177

$2,071 NOK 19.9K

150.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,388 $4,388

$1,536 NOK 14.8K

185.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,917 $9,917

$4,323 NOK 41.6K

129.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,963 $9,963

$4,567 NOK 44.0K

118.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,070 $5,070

$3,907 NOK 37.6K

29.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

3.98

67.84%

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

Last update for Santa Barbara, CA: July 11, 2026

Last update for Haugesund: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,649 in Santa Barbara, CA versus $1,659 in Haugesund. 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 Santa Barbara, CA, 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 $99.0 in Santa Barbara, CA versus $102 in Haugesund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $426 vs $444 – making Santa Barbara, CA 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

Santa Barbara, CA vs Haugesund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Barbara, CA costs about 49% more than Haugesund, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,526 per month in Santa Barbara, CA and $3,708 in Haugesund. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Santa Barbara, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Santa Barbara, CA and $102 in Haugesund. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,684 in Santa Barbara, CA and $2,472 in Haugesund. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Haugesund costs $2,472 versus $3,684 in Santa Barbara, CA. 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 Haugesund. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santa Barbara, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.