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: $2,991 in Staten Island, NY versus $2,207 in Arendal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,613 in Staten Island, NY versus $3,402 in Arendal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,236 in Staten Island, NY versus $4,597 in Arendal.

Living in Staten Island, NY is roughly 36% more expensive than Arendal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Staten Island, NY 123% above, Arendal 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.76 $21.76

$17.90 NOK 167

21.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.9 $98.9

$76.7 NOK 713

28.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$15.45 NOK 144

-23.24%

Cappuccino

$5.79 $5.79

$5.23 NOK 48.65

10.71%

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

$2.35 $2.35

$3.29 NOK 30.62

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 $1.55

$3.07 NOK 28.51

-49.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 $7.95

$11.33 NOK 105

-29.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$10.27 NOK 95.5

-21.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$2.34 NOK 21.74

-33.76%

White Bread (500g)

$4.50 $4.50

$3.03 NOK 28.16

48.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.00 $8.00

$3.69 NOK 34.29

116.80%

Eggs

$6.77 $6.77

$4.41 NOK 41.05

53.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.11 $17.11

$13.26 NOK 123

29.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.44 $13.44

$15.59 NOK 145

-13.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.48 $20.48

$27.31 NOK 254

-25.01%

Apples (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$3.56 NOK 33.10

81.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.60 NOK 24.20

-0.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$2.96 NOK 27.51

96.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$4.71 NOK 43.84

37.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.07 NOK 19.22

84.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.04 NOK 28.25

30.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.50 NOK 23.22

14.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.77 NOK 16.48

59.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.38 $19.38

$15.16 NOK 141

27.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 $15.09

$18.21 NOK 169

-17.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$3.33 NOK 30.97

-45.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 $3.90

$4.08 NOK 37.92

-4.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.94 NOK 36.60

-24.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 NOK 962

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$8.08 NOK 75.1

-63.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.13 NOK 19.82

0.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.55 $41.55

$30.64 NOK 285

35.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.11 NOK 19.62

-57.35%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.7K NOK 323.1K

0.84%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$33.1K NOK 307.8K

-16.88%

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

$216 $216

$190 NOK 1,765

14.04%

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

$59.0 $59.0

$35.31 NOK 328

67.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 $62.1

$72.2 NOK 671

-13.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$115 $115

$44.66 NOK 415

158.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.0 NOK 493

Cinema Ticket

$20.05 $20.05

$12.34 NOK 115

62.48%

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

$1,975 $1,975

$305 NOK 2,840

546.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K $15.7K

$9,982 NOK 92.8K

57.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 $68.3

$98.0 NOK 911

-30.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.57 $37.57

$59.5 NOK 554

-36.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$107 NOK 994

5.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$159 NOK 1,478

-34.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,780 $1,780

$1,068 NOK 9,935

66.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 $1,374

$718 NOK 6,679

91.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,240 $3,240

$1,332 NOK 12.4K

143.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 $2,680

$1,145 NOK 10.7K

133.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,164 NOK 29.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,131 NOK 19.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,221 $6,221

$4,258 NOK 39.6K

46.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

3.6

87.22%

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

Last update for Staten Island, NY: April 22, 2026

Last update for Arendal: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,780 in Staten Island, NY and $1,068 in Arendal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Staten Island, NY pays 46% 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: $99 in Staten Island, NY vs $77 in Arendal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $515 vs $459 per month, with Arendal cheaper across the board.

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 36% in total monthly costs ($2,991 vs $2,207 including rent). Arendal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Staten Island, NY pays 46% more on average, 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: $1,780 in Staten Island, NY versus $1,068 in Arendal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,975 in Staten Island, NY versus $305 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 $77.0 versus $99.0 in Staten Island, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,207 in Arendal versus $2,991 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 36% less than in Staten Island, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.