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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,357 per month in Skien vs $3,179 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,341 per month in Skien vs $4,668 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,326 per month in Skien vs $6,158 in Stavanger, rent included.

Skien is about 26% cheaper than Stavanger, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skien and Stavanger sit above the global median – Skien by 72%, Stavanger by 131%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.53 NOK 200

$26.10 NOK 242

-17.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 NOK 989

$100 NOK 929

6.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.84 NOK 147

$15.98 NOK 148

-0.88%

Cappuccino

$5.47 NOK 50.8

$6.53 NOK 60.7

-16.23%

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

$4.23 NOK 39.25

$5.57 NOK 51.7

-24.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 NOK 29.70

$4.55 NOK 42.21

-29.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.01 NOK 112

$13.62 NOK 126

-11.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.63 NOK 117

$12.09 NOK 112

4.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NOK 19.24

$2.49 NOK 23.11

-16.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 NOK 36.69

$3.60 NOK 33.46

9.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 NOK 43.37

$3.96 NOK 36.73

17.93%

Eggs

$5.80 NOK 53.8

$4.97 NOK 46.18

16.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 NOK 126

$14.64 NOK 136

-7.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.54 NOK 144

$17.53 NOK 163

-11.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 NOK 213

$35.75 NOK 332

-35.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 NOK 31.61

$3.70 NOK 34.37

-8.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 NOK 25.60

$2.86 NOK 26.53

-3.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 NOK 32.11

$3.58 NOK 33.20

-3.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 NOK 56.2

$4.90 NOK 45.45

23.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 NOK 22.06

$2.60 NOK 24.18

-8.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 NOK 27.75

$3.17 NOK 29.42

-5.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 NOK 28.42

$2.90 NOK 26.95

5.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NOK 22.78

$2.31 NOK 21.46

6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.12 NOK 177

$17.65 NOK 164

8.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.30 NOK 151

$19.17 NOK 178

-14.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NOK 32.67

$3.85 NOK 35.74

-8.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 NOK 41.20

$4.61 NOK 42.76

-3.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.47 NOK 32.20

$4.89 NOK 45.43

-29.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.24 NOK 448

$87.1 NOK 809

-44.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.14 NOK 103

$6.48 NOK 60.1

71.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 NOK 17.75

$1.78 NOK 16.56

7.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.6 NOK 674

$105 NOK 976

-30.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 20.89

$2.32 NOK 21.58

-3.02%

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

$48.5K NOK 450.7K

$48.7K NOK 452.4K

-0.37%

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

$43.9K NOK 407.8K

$41.8K NOK 388.4K

5.01%

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

$97.8 NOK 908

$257 NOK 2,389

-61.99%

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

$33.45 NOK 311

$35.59 NOK 330

-6.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 NOK 543

$84.9 NOK 788

-31.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 NOK 381

$52.6 NOK 489

-21.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.90 NOK 343

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 NOK 142

$22.33 NOK 207

-31.48%

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

$244 NOK 2,266

$325 NOK 3,018

-24.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K NOK 148.8K

$14.4K NOK 133.5K

11.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 NOK 585

$126 NOK 1,169

-50.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 NOK 565

$60.7 NOK 564

0.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 NOK 842

$155 NOK 1,440

-41.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,495

$203 NOK 1,886

-20.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

$1,746 NOK 16.2K

-38.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 NOK 9,168

$1,387 NOK 12.9K

-28.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 NOK 9,751

$2,840 NOK 26.4K

-63.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 NOK 9,017

$2,044 NOK 19.0K

-52.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,603 NOK 33.5K

$6,241 NOK 57.9K

-42.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,179 NOK 29.5K

$5,530 NOK 51.3K

-42.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,293 NOK 39.9K

$5,111 NOK 47.5K

-16.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

5.27

-17.08%

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

Last update for Skien: September 1, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,080 in Skien versus $1,746 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 19% 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 $106 in Skien versus $100 in Stavanger. Groceries tell a different story – $481 in Skien vs $530 in Stavanger – so Skien 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

Skien vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 35%, 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 $3,536 per month in Skien and $4,768 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 $106 in Skien and $100 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 $2,357 in Skien and $3,179 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 $2,357, than in Stavanger at $3,179. 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.