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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,773 per month in Stavanger vs $2,215 in Alesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,121 per month in Stavanger vs $3,317 in Alesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,469 per month in Stavanger vs $4,418 in Alesund, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 25% more than Alesund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Stavanger and Alesund sit above the global median – Stavanger by 108%, Alesund by 66%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Stavanger
Alesund
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.15 NOK 242
$20.27 NOK 195
24.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$124 NOK 1,192
$87.7 NOK 845
41.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.47 NOK 149
$12.72 NOK 122
21.62%
Cappuccino
$5.09 NOK 49.03
$3.94 NOK 37.90
29.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.97 NOK 38.22
$2.00 NOK 19.28
98.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42 NOK 32.96
$2.27 NOK 21.82
50.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.30 NOK 109
$11.20 NOK 108
0.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.04 NOK 96.7
$8.93 NOK 86.0
12.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stavanger
Alesund
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.43 NOK 23.44
$2.43 NOK 23.40
-
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 NOK 29.25
$2.91 NOK 28.07
4.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.50 NOK 43.33
$2.82 NOK 27.12
59.57%
Eggs
$4.44 NOK 42.75
$3.94 NOK 37.98
12.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.96 NOK 125
$14.23 NOK 137
-8.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.11 NOK 155
$13.33 NOK 128
20.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.22 NOK 262
$22.52 NOK 217
20.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.47 NOK 33.44
$2.86 NOK 27.57
21.33%
Banana (1kg)
$2.54 NOK 24.42
$2.40 NOK 23.08
5.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.10 NOK 29.88
$2.23 NOK 21.45
39.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.76 NOK 45.84
$3.48 NOK 33.56
36.78%
Potato (1kg)
$2.16 NOK 20.77
$2.71 NOK 26.13
-20.30%
Onion (1kg)
$3.09 NOK 29.74
$1.79 NOK 17.24
72.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.61 NOK 25.09
$2.87 NOK 27.60
-9.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 NOK 16.76
$2.04 NOK 19.67
-14.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.94 NOK 144
$14.04 NOK 135
6.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.99 NOK 173
$17.23 NOK 166
4.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.49 NOK 33.64
$3.30 NOK 31.74
5.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.14 NOK 39.88
$4.03 NOK 38.86
2.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Stavanger
Alesund
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.67 NOK 44.97
$4.49 NOK 43.20
4.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$68.4 NOK 659
$65.9 NOK 635
3.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$15.04 NOK 145
$12.11 NOK 117
24.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 NOK 20.75
$2.18 NOK 21.01
-1.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$101 NOK 975
$73.7 NOK 710
37.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.18 NOK 20.98
$2.17 NOK 20.93
0.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K NOK 332.2K
$35.9K NOK 345.8K
-3.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K NOK 319.5K
$43.8K NOK 421.4K
-24.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stavanger
Alesund
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$191 NOK 1,840
$240 NOK 2,312
-20.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$43.05 NOK 415
$39.04 NOK 376
10.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$81.9 NOK 789
$39.85 NOK 384
105.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stavanger
Alesund
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.0 NOK 539
$57.3 NOK 552
-2.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.99 NOK 337
$30.76 NOK 296
13.75%
Cinema Ticket
$19.39 NOK 187
$17.47 NOK 168
10.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stavanger
Alesund
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$315 NOK 3,035
$268 NOK 2,577
17.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K NOK 123.1K
$2,464 NOK 23.7K
418.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stavanger
Alesund
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$119 NOK 1,150
$85.4 NOK 822
39.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.8 NOK 576
$44.17 NOK 425
35.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 NOK 1,028
$110 NOK 1,060
-3.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$161 NOK 1,550
$135 NOK 1,298
19.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stavanger
Alesund
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,617 NOK 15.6K
$944 NOK 9,093
71.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,134 NOK 10.9K
$794 NOK 7,645
42.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,719 NOK 26.2K
$1,396 NOK 13.4K
94.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,738 NOK 16.7K
$1,144 NOK 11.0K
51.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,982 NOK 57.6K
$4,409 NOK 42.5K
35.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,156 NOK 49.7K
$2,429 NOK 23.4K
112.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stavanger
Alesund
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,945 NOK 47.6K
$4,120 NOK 39.7K
20.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
4.03
11.91%

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

Last update for Stavanger: July 13, 2026

Last update for Alesund: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,617 in Stavanger versus $944 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 20% 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 $124 in Stavanger versus $88.0 in Alesund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $466 vs $419 – 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
How do living costs in Stavanger and in Alesund compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,773 in Stavanger, $2,215 in Alesund – roughly 25% apart. Stavanger costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Stavanger compared to Alesund?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,159 per month in Stavanger and $3,323 in Alesund. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Stavanger and Alesund?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $124 in Stavanger and $88.0 in Alesund. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Stavanger or Alesund?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,773 in Stavanger and $2,215 in Alesund. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Alesund, where all-in costs run around $2,215, than in Stavanger at $2,773. In Alesund it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stavanger it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Stavanger and Alesund?
It depends on your priorities. Stavanger has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,215 in Alesund to $2,773 in Stavanger. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Stavanger or Alesund safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Stavanger and Alesund?
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.

Stavanger vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities