Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Arendal Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Arendal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,218 in Stavanger versus $2,496 in Arendal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,688 in Stavanger versus $3,773 in Arendal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,159 in Stavanger versus $5,050 in Arendal.

Living in Stavanger is roughly 29% more expensive than in Arendal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 135% above, Arendal 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.87 NOK 242

$20.35 NOK 190

27.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.6 NOK 902

$65.4 NOK 610

47.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.77 NOK 147

$15.63 NOK 146

0.90%

Cappuccino

$6.34 NOK 59.2

$5.52 NOK 51.5

14.86%

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

$5.42 NOK 50.6

$3.74 NOK 34.91

44.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 NOK 41.76

$3.31 NOK 30.92

35.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.85 NOK 129

$11.74 NOK 110

17.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.25 NOK 114

$11.98 NOK 112

2.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 NOK 22.03

$2.36 NOK 22.05

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 NOK 33.96

$3.51 NOK 32.76

3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 NOK 36.60

$3.74 NOK 34.92

4.81%

Eggs

$4.95 NOK 46.20

$4.91 NOK 45.82

0.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.89 NOK 139

$15.06 NOK 141

-1.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.94 NOK 158

$15.14 NOK 141

11.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.00 NOK 336

$35.80 NOK 334

0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 33.65

$3.43 NOK 32.04

4.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 NOK 26.06

$2.79 NOK 26.02

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 33.32

$3.31 NOK 30.91

7.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 NOK 45.23

$4.75 NOK 44.38

1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 NOK 23.75

$2.61 NOK 24.35

-2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 NOK 29.74

$3.17 NOK 29.59

0.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 NOK 26.68

$2.75 NOK 25.65

4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 NOK 22.19

$2.36 NOK 22.05

0.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.32 NOK 162

$17.56 NOK 164

-1.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.61 NOK 174

$17.75 NOK 166

4.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 NOK 36.60

$3.83 NOK 35.76

2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 NOK 43.31

$4.64 NOK 43.34

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.85 NOK 45.32

$4.19 NOK 39.08

15.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.3 NOK 759

$126 NOK 1,181

-35.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 NOK 60.1

$6.12 NOK 57.1

5.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 NOK 16.08

$1.80 NOK 16.79

-4.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$104 NOK 974

$32.10 NOK 300

224.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.23

$2.23 NOK 20.87

1.79%

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

$49.3K NOK 460.3K

$49.4K NOK 461.1K

-0.18%

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

$42.5K NOK 397.3K

$41.6K NOK 388.9K

2.17%

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

$254 NOK 2,375

$209 NOK 1,953

21.58%

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

$35.83 NOK 335

$35.76 NOK 334

0.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.3 NOK 778

$83.5 NOK 780

-0.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 NOK 486

$45.74 NOK 427

13.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.77 NOK 353

$79.3 NOK 740

-52.36%

Cinema Ticket

$22.24 NOK 208

$14.26 NOK 133

55.96%

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

$326 NOK 3,043

$317 NOK 2,961

2.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K NOK 133.5K

$10.8K NOK 101.1K

32.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$126 NOK 1,181

$107 NOK 1,004

17.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 NOK 557

$53.5 NOK 499

11.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 NOK 1,457

$122 NOK 1,141

27.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$207 NOK 1,936

$203 NOK 1,894

2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,732 NOK 16.2K

$1,150 NOK 10.7K

50.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 NOK 12.9K

$841 NOK 7,856

63.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,747 NOK 25.7K

$1,427 NOK 13.3K

92.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 NOK 19.6K

$1,295 NOK 12.1K

61.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,334 NOK 59.2K

$3,244 NOK 30.3K

95.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,318 NOK 49.7K

$2,126 NOK 19.9K

150.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,107 NOK 47.7K

$4,201 NOK 39.2K

21.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

5.08

3.74%

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

Last update for Stavanger: August 18, 2026

Last update for Arendal: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,732 in Stavanger and $1,150 in Arendal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 22% 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: $97.0 in Stavanger vs $65.0 in Arendal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $526 vs $510 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

Stavanger vs Arendal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stavanger and Arendal differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($3,218 vs $2,496 including rent). Arendal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Stavanger, 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: $1,732 in Stavanger versus $1,150 in Arendal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $326 in Stavanger versus $317 in Arendal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Stavanger. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Arendal is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Stavanger 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 29% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.