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: $2,916 in Staten Island, NY versus $2,239 in Arendal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,517 in Staten Island, NY versus $3,381 in Arendal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,119 in Staten Island, NY versus $4,523 in Arendal.

Living in Staten Island, NY is roughly 30% more expensive than in Arendal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Staten Island, NY 118% above, Arendal 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.33 $22.33

$18.10 NOK 174

23.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$77.0 NOK 739

31.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 $12.09

$15.00 NOK 144

-19.40%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$5.07 NOK 48.59

19.72%

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

$2.29 $2.29

$3.16 NOK 30.33

-27.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.91 NOK 27.93

-43.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$11.00 NOK 106

-28.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.76 $7.76

$10.04 NOK 96.3

-22.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.32 NOK 22.28

-36.64%

White Bread (500g)

$4.68 $4.68

$3.18 NOK 30.52

47.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.98 $7.98

$3.52 NOK 33.71

126.70%

Eggs

$6.49 $6.49

$4.38 NOK 42.05

48.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.16 $17.16

$13.14 NOK 126

30.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.10 $13.10

$15.39 NOK 148

-14.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.79 $19.79

$27.08 NOK 260

-26.92%

Apples (1kg)

$6.71 $6.71

$3.43 NOK 32.91

95.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.61 NOK 25.01

-0.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$2.98 NOK 28.58

99.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.25 $6.25

$4.68 NOK 44.84

33.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.05 NOK 19.67

80.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.06 NOK 29.37

28.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.59 NOK 24.88

5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.80 NOK 17.30

54.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.79 $18.79

$15.16 NOK 145

23.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$17.79 NOK 171

-16.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$3.38 NOK 32.38

-45.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$4.14 NOK 39.73

-6.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.92 NOK 37.64

-28.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 NOK 1,018

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$7.86 NOK 75.4

-61.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.08 NOK 19.90

2.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.40 $41.40

$30.62 NOK 294

35.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$2.06 NOK 19.71

-53.88%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$34.9K NOK 335.0K

1.36%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$33.0K NOK 316.9K

-15.67%

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

$218 $218

$191 NOK 1,836

13.99%

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

$59.3 $59.3

$35.04 NOK 336

69.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 $64.2

$72.8 NOK 698

-11.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$114 $114

$43.42 NOK 416

163.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.6 NOK 514

Cinema Ticket

$19.91 $19.91

$12.04 NOK 115

65.37%

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

$1,970 $1,970

$305 NOK 2,925

545.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$10.3K NOK 98.7K

54.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$94.5 NOK 906

-28.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.35 $37.35

$59.0 NOK 566

-36.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$106 NOK 1,019

5.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$159 NOK 1,526

-34.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,745 $1,745

$1,066 NOK 10.2K

63.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 $1,402

$694 NOK 6,660

101.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,256 $3,256

$1,316 NOK 12.6K

147.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,623 $2,623

$1,155 NOK 11.1K

127.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,144 NOK 30.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 NOK 19.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,822 $5,822

$4,138 NOK 39.7K

40.69%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Arendal: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,745 in Staten Island, NY and $1,066 in Arendal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Staten Island, NY pays 41% 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: $101 in Staten Island, NY vs $77.0 in Arendal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $510 vs $457 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 30% in total monthly costs ($2,916 vs $2,239 including rent). Arendal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 41% 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: $1,745 in Staten Island, NY versus $1,066 in Arendal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,970 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 $101 in Staten Island, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,239 in Arendal versus $2,916 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 30% less than in Staten Island, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.