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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,282 per month in Skien vs $2,744 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,202 per month in Skien vs $4,187 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,122 per month in Skien vs $5,629 in Stavanger, rent included.

Skien is about 17% cheaper than Stavanger, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skien and Stavanger sit above the global median – Skien by 70%, Stavanger by 105%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.96 NOK 269

$25.49 NOK 237

13.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 NOK 935

$121 NOK 1,122

-16.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.26 NOK 123

$15.31 NOK 142

-13.39%

Cappuccino

$4.88 NOK 45.35

$5.17 NOK 48.03

-5.61%

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

$2.47 NOK 22.94

$4.04 NOK 37.57

-38.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 NOK 20.38

$3.47 NOK 32.20

-36.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.05 NOK 84.0

$11.15 NOK 104

-18.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.67 NOK 89.8

$10.27 NOK 95.4

-5.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 NOK 18.73

$2.45 NOK 22.73

-17.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 NOK 30.67

$3.02 NOK 28.03

9.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 NOK 29.30

$4.56 NOK 42.38

-30.92%

Eggs

$4.20 NOK 39.01

$4.46 NOK 41.46

-5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 NOK 106

$13.11 NOK 122

-13.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.22 NOK 132

$16.72 NOK 155

-14.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.44 NOK 236

$27.15 NOK 252

-6.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 NOK 34.89

$3.58 NOK 33.26

5.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 NOK 21.55

$2.56 NOK 23.80

-9.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 30.63

$2.98 NOK 27.72

10.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 37.36

$4.61 NOK 42.83

-12.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 NOK 21.26

$2.09 NOK 19.42

9.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NOK 20.07

$3.09 NOK 28.70

-30.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 NOK 27.36

$2.50 NOK 23.27

17.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NOK 17.55

$1.81 NOK 16.81

4.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.86 NOK 175

$15.37 NOK 143

22.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.87 NOK 147

$19.14 NOK 178

-17.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 NOK 30.97

$3.63 NOK 33.70

-8.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 NOK 36.67

$4.13 NOK 38.39

-4.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 NOK 25.02

$4.66 NOK 43.31

-42.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.33 NOK 412

$67.1 NOK 623

-33.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$36.08 NOK 335

$14.97 NOK 139

141.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 NOK 13.57

$2.12 NOK 19.70

-31.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.7 NOK 926

$99.8 NOK 927

-0.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 NOK 19.41

$2.15 NOK 19.96

-2.79%

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

$25.7K NOK 238.9K

$34.0K NOK 315.8K

-24.33%

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

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

$32.8K NOK 304.4K

9.14%

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

$96.6 NOK 897

$191 NOK 1,778

-49.52%

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

$37.34 NOK 347

$42.73 NOK 397

-12.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.51 NOK 358

$81.9 NOK 761

-52.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.00 NOK 353

$55.8 NOK 519

-31.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.76 NOK 323

$35.64 NOK 331

-2.47%

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 NOK 134

$19.51 NOK 181

-26.24%

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

$312 NOK 2,900

$318 NOK 2,957

-1.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 93.9K

$12.8K NOK 118.6K

-20.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.85 NOK 380

$119 NOK 1,107

-65.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.21 NOK 327

$58.3 NOK 542

-39.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 NOK 862

$106 NOK 981

-12.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 NOK 1,421

$157 NOK 1,460

-2.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 NOK 8,931

$1,604 NOK 14.9K

-40.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 NOK 9,291

$1,115 NOK 10.4K

-10.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 NOK 10.2K

$2,756 NOK 25.6K

-60.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$902 NOK 8,381

$1,738 NOK 16.1K

-48.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,561 NOK 33.1K

$6,190 NOK 57.5K

-42.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,271 NOK 30.4K

$5,435 NOK 50.5K

-39.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,269 NOK 39.7K

$4,992 NOK 46.4K

-14.49%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $961 in Skien 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 17% 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 $101 in Skien versus $121 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $432 vs $472 – 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 20%, 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 $3,422 per month in Skien 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 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 $101 in Skien and $121 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 $2,282 in Skien and $2,744 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 $2,282, than in Stavanger at $2,744. 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.