Cost of Living Comparison Between Skien and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Skien and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,347 per month in Skien vs $2,773 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,223 per month in Skien vs $4,121 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,098 per month in Skien vs $5,469 in Stavanger, rent included.

Skien is about 15% cheaper than Stavanger, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skien and Stavanger sit above the global median – Skien by 76%, Stavanger by 108%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.93 NOK 279

$25.15 NOK 242

15.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.7 NOK 960

$124 NOK 1,192

-19.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.15 NOK 127

$15.47 NOK 149

-15.00%

Cappuccino

$4.94 NOK 47.62

$5.09 NOK 49.03

-2.95%

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

$2.52 NOK 24.29

$3.97 NOK 38.22

-36.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NOK 21.47

$3.42 NOK 32.96

-34.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.22 NOK 88.8

$11.30 NOK 109

-18.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.88 NOK 95.1

$10.04 NOK 96.7

-1.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 NOK 18.66

$2.43 NOK 23.44

-20.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 NOK 32.87

$3.04 NOK 29.25

12.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 NOK 32.08

$4.50 NOK 43.33

-26.00%

Eggs

$4.22 NOK 40.61

$4.44 NOK 42.75

-4.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 NOK 112

$12.96 NOK 125

-10.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 NOK 136

$16.11 NOK 155

-12.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.44 NOK 245

$27.22 NOK 262

-6.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 36.11

$3.47 NOK 33.44

8.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 NOK 21.73

$2.54 NOK 24.42

-11.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NOK 31.45

$3.10 NOK 29.88

5.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 38.72

$4.76 NOK 45.84

-15.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 NOK 21.41

$2.16 NOK 20.77

2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 NOK 20.39

$3.09 NOK 29.74

-31.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 NOK 28.87

$2.61 NOK 25.09

14.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NOK 18.24

$1.74 NOK 16.76

8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.24 NOK 185

$14.94 NOK 144

28.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 NOK 147

$17.99 NOK 173

-14.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 NOK 31.72

$3.49 NOK 33.64

-5.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 NOK 37.16

$4.14 NOK 39.88

-6.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 NOK 25.73

$4.67 NOK 44.97

-42.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.34 NOK 417

$68.4 NOK 659

-36.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$35.68 NOK 344

$15.04 NOK 145

137.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.92

$2.15 NOK 20.75

-32.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$100 NOK 966

$101 NOK 975

-0.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.98

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

$25.6K NOK 246.8K

$34.5K NOK 332.2K

-25.70%

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

$35.6K NOK 343.3K

$33.2K NOK 319.5K

7.46%

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

$98.7 NOK 950

$191 NOK 1,840

-48.35%

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

$38.06 NOK 367

$43.05 NOK 415

-11.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.32 NOK 369

$81.9 NOK 789

-53.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.33 NOK 360

$56.0 NOK 539

-33.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.73 NOK 344

$34.99 NOK 337

2.11%

Cinema Ticket

$13.95 NOK 134

$19.39 NOK 187

-28.06%

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

$307 NOK 2,954

$315 NOK 3,035

-2.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K NOK 98.3K

$12.8K NOK 123.1K

-20.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.71 NOK 382

$119 NOK 1,150

-66.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.38 NOK 341

$59.8 NOK 576

-40.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 NOK 868

$107 NOK 1,028

-15.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,463

$161 NOK 1,550

-5.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 NOK 9,355

$1,617 NOK 15.6K

-39.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 NOK 9,397

$1,134 NOK 10.9K

-13.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 NOK 10.8K

$2,719 NOK 26.2K

-58.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 NOK 8,807

$1,738 NOK 16.7K

-47.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,335 NOK 32.1K

$5,982 NOK 57.6K

-44.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,041 NOK 29.3K

$5,156 NOK 49.7K

-41.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,036 NOK 38.9K

$4,945 NOK 47.6K

-18.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

4.51

-15.74%

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

Last update for Skien: July 12, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $971 in Skien 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 23% 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 $100 in Skien versus $124 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $466 – making Skien 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

Skien vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,520 per month in Skien 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 Skien, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Skien and $124 in Stavanger. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,347 in Skien and $2,773 in Stavanger. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Skien, where all-in costs run around $2,347, than in Stavanger at $2,773. In Skien it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stavanger it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skien – 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 Skien. 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.