Cost of Living Comparison Between Staten Island, NY and Arendal Cost of Living Comparison Between Staten Island, NY and Arendal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,989 in Staten Island, NY versus $2,777 in Arendal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,402 in Staten Island, NY versus $3,905 in Arendal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,814 in Staten Island, NY versus $5,034 in Arendal.

Living in Staten Island, NY is roughly 8% more expensive than in Arendal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Staten Island, NY 118% above, Arendal 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.55 $23.55

$20.31 NOK 189

15.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$67.5 NOK 628

31.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 $13.64

$15.90 NOK 148

-14.21%

Cappuccino

$6.49 $6.49

$5.55 NOK 51.6

16.94%

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

$2.59 $2.59

$3.60 NOK 33.50

-28.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$3.41 NOK 31.77

-49.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$11.90 NOK 111

-32.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 $7.83

$12.15 NOK 113

-35.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.40 NOK 22.30

-48.75%

White Bread (500g)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.60 NOK 33.54

31.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$3.95 NOK 36.74

65.57%

Eggs

$5.70 $5.70

$5.04 NOK 46.90

13.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.79 $16.79

$14.87 NOK 138

12.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 $13.92

$15.26 NOK 142

-8.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.68 $19.68

$34.60 NOK 322

-43.12%

Apples (1kg)

$6.09 $6.09

$3.61 NOK 33.56

68.70%

Banana (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.83 NOK 26.33

27.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$3.64 NOK 33.86

62.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$4.95 NOK 46.09

24.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.60 NOK 24.23

35.77%

Onion (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$3.15 NOK 29.29

34.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.78 NOK 25.90

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.35 NOK 21.83

19.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.75 $18.75

$17.77 NOK 165

5.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 $14.84

$14.84 NOK 138

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$3.85 NOK 35.82

-53.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 $3.64

$4.43 NOK 41.22

-17.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.81 NOK 35.45

-20.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.9 NOK 846

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$6.40 NOK 59.6

-54.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.75 NOK 16.33

25.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.67 $42.67

$104 NOK 971

-59.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.33 NOK 21.66

-56.22%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$48.4K NOK 450.3K

-27.86%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$42.5K NOK 395.4K

-39.35%

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

$207 $207

$251 NOK 2,334

-17.41%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$35.15 NOK 327

102.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$80.5 NOK 749

-18.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$118 $118

$37.73 NOK 351

212.75%

Cinema Ticket

$20.20 $20.20

$15.95 NOK 148

26.65%

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

$2,000 $2,000

$324 NOK 3,017

516.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K $15.7K

$14.4K NOK 134.2K

9.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 $73.0

$130 NOK 1,209

-43.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.57 $37.57

$44.60 NOK 415

-15.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$129 NOK 1,205

-18.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$205 NOK 1,909

-48.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 $1,816

$1,141 NOK 10.6K

59.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 $1,409

$1,074 NOK 9,993

31.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,323 $3,323

$1,623 NOK 15.1K

104.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,404 $2,404

$1,489 NOK 13.9K

61.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,780 $6,780

$4,115 NOK 38.3K

64.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

4.68

35.26%

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

Last update for Staten Island, NY: August 31, 2026

Last update for Arendal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,816 in Staten Island, NY and $1,141 in Arendal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Staten Island, NY pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $89.0 in Staten Island, NY vs $67.0 in Arendal. Groceries flip the comparison at $504 vs $506, with Staten Island, NY cheaper for home cooking.

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

Staten Island, NY vs Arendal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Staten Island, NY and Arendal differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,989 vs $2,777 including rent). Arendal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 65% higher in Staten Island, NY, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,816 in Staten Island, NY versus $1,141 in Arendal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,000 in Staten Island, NY versus $324 in Arendal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Arendal – a meal for two runs $67.0 versus $89.0 in Staten Island, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,777 in Arendal versus $2,989 in Staten Island, NY, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Arendal but tight or insufficient in Staten Island, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Arendal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Staten Island, NY and Arendal are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Arendal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Staten Island, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.