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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,744 per month in Stavanger vs $2,560 in Baerum, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,187 per month in Stavanger vs $3,853 in Baerum, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,629 per month in Stavanger vs $5,146 in Baerum, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 7% more than Baerum, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Stavanger and Baerum sit above the global median – Stavanger by 105%, Baerum by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.49 NOK 237

$25.44 NOK 236

0.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,122

$103 NOK 959

17.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.31 NOK 142

$13.54 NOK 126

13.07%

Cappuccino

$5.17 NOK 48.03

$5.07 NOK 47.08

1.97%

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

$4.04 NOK 37.57

$2.52 NOK 23.37

60.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.20

$2.13 NOK 19.75

62.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.15 NOK 104

$8.96 NOK 83.2

24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.27 NOK 95.4

$9.87 NOK 91.7

4.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 NOK 22.73

$2.29 NOK 21.27

6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 NOK 28.03

$3.56 NOK 33.07

-15.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 NOK 42.38

$3.16 NOK 29.35

44.30%

Eggs

$4.46 NOK 41.46

$5.03 NOK 46.70

-11.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.11 NOK 122

$11.44 NOK 106

14.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.72 NOK 155

$15.92 NOK 148

5.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.15 NOK 252

$31.04 NOK 288

-12.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.26

$3.57 NOK 33.14

0.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 23.80

$2.32 NOK 21.51

10.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 NOK 27.72

$3.32 NOK 30.83

-10.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 NOK 42.83

$4.19 NOK 38.89

10.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NOK 19.42

$2.30 NOK 21.33

-9.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 NOK 28.70

$2.23 NOK 20.68

38.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 NOK 23.27

$2.85 NOK 26.50

-12.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 NOK 16.81

$1.82 NOK 16.90

-0.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.37 NOK 143

$14.05 NOK 131

9.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.14 NOK 178

$19.53 NOK 181

-2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.63 NOK 33.70

$3.47 NOK 32.22

4.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 NOK 38.39

$4.03 NOK 37.45

2.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.66 NOK 43.31

$4.13 NOK 38.41

12.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.1 NOK 623

$73.5 NOK 683

-8.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 NOK 139

$9.95 NOK 92.4

50.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 NOK 19.70

$1.44 NOK 13.42

47.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.8 NOK 927

$42.95 NOK 399

132.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 NOK 19.96

$2.13 NOK 19.75

0.94%

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

$34.0K NOK 315.8K

$27.9K NOK 258.8K

22.03%

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

$32.8K NOK 304.4K

$24.6K NOK 228.9K

33.01%

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

$191 NOK 1,778

$305 NOK 2,829

-37.15%

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

$42.73 NOK 397

$41.01 NOK 381

4.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.9 NOK 761

$37.37 NOK 347

119.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 NOK 519

$50.5 NOK 469

10.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.64 NOK 331

$35.85 NOK 333

-0.59%

Cinema Ticket

$19.51 NOK 181

$15.44 NOK 143

26.36%

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

$318 NOK 2,957

$268 NOK 2,488

18.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NOK 118.6K

$14.9K NOK 138.5K

-14.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 NOK 1,107

$105 NOK 977

13.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 NOK 542

$47.13 NOK 438

23.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NOK 981

$99.7 NOK 926

5.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 NOK 1,460

$152 NOK 1,410

3.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 NOK 14.9K

$1,216 NOK 11.3K

31.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 NOK 10.4K

$908 NOK 8,438

22.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,756 NOK 25.6K

$2,140 NOK 19.9K

28.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 NOK 16.1K

$1,613 NOK 15.0K

7.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,190 NOK 57.5K

$6,036 NOK 56.1K

2.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,435 NOK 50.5K

$4,455 NOK 41.4K

22.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,992 NOK 46.4K

$5,515 NOK 51.2K

-9.48%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Baerum: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Stavanger versus $1,216 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 10% 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 $121 in Stavanger versus $103 in Baerum. Groceries tell a different story – $472 in Stavanger vs $473 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 7%, 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 $4,117 per month in Stavanger and $3,840 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 $2,744 in Stavanger and $2,560 in Baerum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% 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 $2,560, than in Stavanger at $2,744. 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.