Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Alesund Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Alesund

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,218 per month in Stavanger vs $2,358 in Alesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,673 per month in Stavanger vs $3,793 in Alesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,128 per month in Stavanger vs $5,228 in Alesund, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 36% more than Alesund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Stavanger and Alesund sit above the global median – Stavanger by 133%, Alesund by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.27 NOK 234

$21.93 NOK 203

15.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.7 NOK 906

$92.7 NOK 860

5.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.20 NOK 150

$13.58 NOK 126

19.29%

Cappuccino

$6.50 NOK 60.3

$4.28 NOK 39.66

51.87%

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

$5.65 NOK 52.4

$2.18 NOK 20.24

159.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 NOK 42.85

$2.33 NOK 21.64

98.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.72 NOK 127

$11.78 NOK 109

16.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.21 NOK 113

$9.46 NOK 87.8

29.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 NOK 22.16

$2.43 NOK 22.56

-1.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 NOK 34.25

$3.11 NOK 28.89

18.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 NOK 37.50

$3.25 NOK 30.18

24.31%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 46.67

$4.48 NOK 41.60

12.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.21 NOK 141

$15.45 NOK 143

-1.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.62 NOK 163

$14.37 NOK 133

22.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.78 NOK 332

$21.50 NOK 199

66.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.17

$2.70 NOK 25.03

32.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 NOK 26.88

$2.47 NOK 22.91

17.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 NOK 33.71

$2.27 NOK 21.03

59.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 NOK 45.18

$3.79 NOK 35.14

28.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 NOK 24.32

$2.52 NOK 23.42

3.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 NOK 30.03

$1.60 NOK 14.87

102.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.41

$3.06 NOK 28.37

-6.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 NOK 21.43

$1.99 NOK 18.43

16.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.75 NOK 165

$15.50 NOK 144

14.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.90 NOK 175

$18.75 NOK 174

0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.03 NOK 37.43

$3.58 NOK 33.25

12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 NOK 42.06

$4.05 NOK 37.56

11.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.75 NOK 44.10

$5.15 NOK 47.79

-7.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 NOK 808

$90.1 NOK 836

-3.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 NOK 57.6

$12.66 NOK 117

-50.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NOK 16.70

$1.97 NOK 18.29

-8.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$105 NOK 971

$74.9 NOK 695

39.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 21.25

$2.24 NOK 20.75

2.23%

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

$50.3K NOK 466.2K

$50.2K NOK 465.7K

0.11%

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

$43.0K NOK 398.5K

$43.9K NOK 407.3K

-2.15%

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

$261 NOK 2,424

$295 NOK 2,737

-11.43%

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

$35.80 NOK 332

$32.10 NOK 298

11.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.6 NOK 794

$61.2 NOK 568

39.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 NOK 484

$61.4 NOK 570

-15.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.84 NOK 351

$32.75 NOK 304

15.54%

Cinema Ticket

$22.77 NOK 211

$18.22 NOK 169

24.97%

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

$332 NOK 3,079

$244 NOK 2,268

35.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K NOK 132.2K

$2,625 NOK 24.3K

442.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$127 NOK 1,182

$89.3 NOK 828

42.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 NOK 571

$45.98 NOK 427

33.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 NOK 1,447

$118 NOK 1,098

31.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 NOK 1,914

$148 NOK 1,369

39.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,757 NOK 16.3K

$1,103 NOK 10.2K

59.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 NOK 12.9K

$808 NOK 7,492

72.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,793 NOK 25.9K

$1,177 NOK 10.9K

137.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 NOK 19.1K

$1,668 NOK 15.5K

23.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,206 NOK 57.6K

$4,642 NOK 43.1K

33.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,375 NOK 49.9K

$2,500 NOK 23.2K

114.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,012 NOK 46.5K

$4,347 NOK 40.3K

15.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

4.22

24.88%

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

Last update for Stavanger: September 6, 2026

Last update for Alesund: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,757 in Stavanger versus $1,103 in Alesund. 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 15% 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 $98.0 in Stavanger versus $93.0 in Alesund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $533 vs $436 – making Alesund the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Stavanger vs Alesund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,218 in Stavanger, $2,358 in Alesund – roughly 36% apart. Stavanger costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,827 per month in Stavanger and $3,537 in Alesund. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alesund, 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 $98.0 in Stavanger and $93.0 in Alesund. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,218 in Stavanger and $2,358 in Alesund. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Alesund, where all-in costs run around $2,358, than in Stavanger at $3,218. In Alesund it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stavanger it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Stavanger has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,358 in Alesund to $3,218 in Stavanger. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Alesund. 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.