Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Baerum Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Baerum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,773 per month in Stavanger vs $2,557 in Baerum, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,121 per month in Stavanger vs $3,928 in Baerum, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,469 per month in Stavanger vs $5,298 in Baerum, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 8% more than Baerum, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Stavanger and Baerum sit above the global median – Stavanger by 108%, Baerum by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.15 NOK 243

$25.61 NOK 247

-1.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 NOK 1,193

$102 NOK 984

21.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.47 NOK 149

$13.15 NOK 127

17.64%

Cappuccino

$5.09 NOK 49.08

$4.98 NOK 47.99

2.21%

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

$3.97 NOK 38.27

$2.52 NOK 24.32

57.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 NOK 32.99

$2.16 NOK 20.87

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.30 NOK 109

$8.84 NOK 85.3

27.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.04 NOK 96.8

$9.47 NOK 91.3

6.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 NOK 23.46

$2.29 NOK 22.04

6.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 NOK 29.28

$3.58 NOK 34.52

-15.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 NOK 43.38

$3.21 NOK 30.93

40.19%

Eggs

$4.44 NOK 42.80

$4.97 NOK 47.96

-10.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.96 NOK 125

$11.42 NOK 110

13.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.11 NOK 155

$16.31 NOK 157

-1.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.22 NOK 262

$31.23 NOK 301

-12.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 NOK 33.48

$3.56 NOK 34.29

-2.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 NOK 24.45

$2.33 NOK 22.45

9.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NOK 29.92

$3.27 NOK 31.55

-5.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 NOK 45.89

$3.98 NOK 38.42

19.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 NOK 20.79

$2.21 NOK 21.29

-2.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 NOK 29.77

$2.14 NOK 20.68

44.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 NOK 25.12

$2.83 NOK 27.30

-7.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 NOK 16.78

$1.83 NOK 17.60

-4.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.94 NOK 144

$14.10 NOK 136

5.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.99 NOK 173

$18.21 NOK 176

-1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 NOK 33.68

$3.49 NOK 33.62

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 NOK 39.93

$4.01 NOK 38.71

3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.67 NOK 45.02

$4.15 NOK 40.00

12.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.4 NOK 660

$72.7 NOK 701

-5.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 NOK 145

$10.29 NOK 99.2

46.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 NOK 20.77

$1.41 NOK 13.55

52.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$101 NOK 976

$42.77 NOK 412

136.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 21.00

$2.12 NOK 20.43

2.83%

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

$34.5K NOK 332.5K

$26.8K NOK 258.6K

28.60%

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

$33.2K NOK 319.8K

$24.3K NOK 234.2K

36.58%

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

$191 NOK 1,842

$306 NOK 2,952

-37.61%

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

$43.05 NOK 415

$40.10 NOK 387

7.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.9 NOK 790

$38.04 NOK 367

115.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 NOK 540

$50.3 NOK 485

11.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.99 NOK 337

$35.74 NOK 345

-2.10%

Cinema Ticket

$19.39 NOK 187

$15.21 NOK 147

27.48%

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

$315 NOK 3,038

$272 NOK 2,625

15.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NOK 123.3K

$14.6K NOK 141.0K

-12.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 NOK 1,152

$105 NOK 1,015

13.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 NOK 576

$46.64 NOK 450

28.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,029

$99.4 NOK 959

7.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,552

$152 NOK 1,467

5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 NOK 15.6K

$1,232 NOK 11.9K

31.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 NOK 10.9K

$909 NOK 8,768

24.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,719 NOK 26.2K

$2,148 NOK 20.7K

26.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 NOK 16.8K

$1,608 NOK 15.5K

8.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,982 NOK 57.7K

$5,734 NOK 55.3K

4.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,156 NOK 49.7K

$3,915 NOK 37.8K

31.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,945 NOK 47.7K

$5,193 NOK 50.1K

-4.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.38

2.97%

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

Last update for Stavanger: July 13, 2026

Last update for Baerum: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,617 in Stavanger versus $1,232 in Baerum. 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 5% higher in Baerum, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $124 in Stavanger versus $102 in Baerum. Groceries tell a different story – $466 in Stavanger vs $472 in Baerum – so Stavanger wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Baerum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,159 per month in Stavanger and $3,836 in Baerum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Baerum, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,773 in Stavanger and $2,557 in Baerum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Baerum. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Baerum, where all-in costs run around $2,557, than in Stavanger at $2,773. In Baerum it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stavanger it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Baerum – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Baerum. 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.