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: $2,906 in Staten Island, NY versus $2,218 in Arendal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,519 in Staten Island, NY versus $3,391 in Arendal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,131 in Staten Island, NY versus $4,563 in Arendal.

Living in Staten Island, NY is roughly 31% more expensive than Arendal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Staten Island, NY 117% above, Arendal 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.96 $21.96

$17.87 NOK 169

22.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$75.4 NOK 713

33.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.84 $11.84

$14.93 NOK 141

-20.70%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$5.17 NOK 48.85

12.38%

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

$2.36 $2.36

$3.18 NOK 30.02

-25.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$3.06 NOK 28.97

-49.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 $8.03

$11.16 NOK 106

-28.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.86 $7.86

$10.17 NOK 96.2

-22.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$2.37 NOK 22.37

-34.60%

White Bread (500g)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.06 NOK 28.92

47.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.14 $8.14

$3.59 NOK 33.98

126.74%

Eggs

$6.70 $6.70

$4.33 NOK 40.97

54.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.68 $17.68

$13.22 NOK 125

33.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.04 $13.04

$15.42 NOK 146

-15.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.33 $20.33

$27.81 NOK 263

-26.90%

Apples (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$3.44 NOK 32.54

90.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.52 NOK 23.81

3.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$3.01 NOK 28.42

96.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$4.75 NOK 44.90

34.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.12 NOK 20.09

81.60%

Onion (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.93 NOK 27.65

38.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.52 NOK 23.86

9.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.78 NOK 16.81

56.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.95 $18.95

$14.98 NOK 142

26.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 $14.77

$18.12 NOK 171

-18.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$3.33 NOK 31.47

-44.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 $3.77

$4.02 NOK 38.03

-6.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.83 NOK 36.20

-22.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 NOK 974

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$7.88 NOK 74.5

-61.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.05 NOK 19.35

8.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.52 $42.52

$29.93 NOK 283

42.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$2.10 NOK 19.89

-57.62%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$34.5K NOK 326.4K

0.53%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$32.7K NOK 309.4K

-15.81%

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

$216 $216

$187 NOK 1,765

15.52%

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

$59.3 $59.3

$35.07 NOK 332

68.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 $63.4

$73.6 NOK 696

-13.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$118 $118

$43.98 NOK 416

168.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 NOK 508

Cinema Ticket

$20.13 $20.13

$11.98 NOK 113

68.03%

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

$1,999 $1,999

$302 NOK 2,850

562.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K $16.3K

$10.1K NOK 95.2K

61.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.1 $67.1

$95.5 NOK 903

-29.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.41 $37.41

$59.1 NOK 559

-36.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$105 NOK 990

9.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$156 NOK 1,475

-33.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 $1,783

$1,100 NOK 10.4K

62.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 $1,389

$695 NOK 6,569

99.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,271 $3,271

$1,295 NOK 12.2K

152.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,677 $2,677

$1,145 NOK 10.8K

133.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,174 NOK 30.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,170 NOK 20.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,188 $6,188

$4,262 NOK 40.3K

45.20%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Arendal: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,783 in Staten Island, NY and $1,100 in Arendal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Staten Island, NY pays 45% 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 $75.0 in Arendal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $513 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 31% in total monthly costs ($2,906 vs $2,218 including rent). Arendal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Staten Island, NY pays 45% 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: $1,783 in Staten Island, NY versus $1,100 in Arendal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,999 in Staten Island, NY versus $302 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 $75.0 versus $101 in Staten Island, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,218 in Arendal versus $2,906 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 31% less than in Staten Island, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.