😐A single person spends $3,218 per month in Stavanger vs $3,203 in Baerum, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $4,673 per month in Stavanger vs $4,976 in Baerum, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $6,128 per month in Stavanger vs $6,750 in Baerum, rent included.
😐Stavanger and Baerum have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.
📊Both Stavanger and Baerum sit above the global median – Stavanger by 133%, Baerum by 132%.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Stavanger
Baerum
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.27NOK 234
$21.53NOK 200
17.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$97.7NOK 906
$131NOK 1,218
-25.61%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$16.20NOK 150
$16.26NOK 151
-0.37%
Cappuccino
$6.50NOK 60.3
$6.16NOK 57.1
5.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.65NOK 52.4
$4.16NOK 38.56
35.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.62NOK 42.85
$3.50NOK 32.45
32.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$13.72NOK 127
$11.71NOK 109
17.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$12.21NOK 113
$12.97NOK 120
-5.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stavanger
Baerum
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.39NOK 22.16
$2.41NOK 22.38
-0.83%
White Bread(500g)
$3.69NOK 34.25
$3.71NOK 34.42
-0.54%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.04NOK 37.50
$4.51NOK 41.80
-10.42%
Eggs
$5.03NOK 46.67
$5.76NOK 53.4
-12.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.21NOK 141
$10.59NOK 98.3
43.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$17.62NOK 163
$15.68NOK 145
12.37%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$35.78NOK 332
$30.63NOK 284
16.81%
Apples(1kg)
$3.58NOK 33.17
$2.72NOK 25.19
31.62%
Banana(1kg)
$2.90NOK 26.88
$2.17NOK 20.15
33.64%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.63NOK 33.71
$2.19NOK 20.34
65.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.87NOK 45.18
$4.20NOK 38.97
15.95%
Potato(1kg)
$2.62NOK 24.32
$1.68NOK 15.61
55.95%
Onion(1kg)
$3.24NOK 30.03
$3.01NOK 27.89
7.64%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.85NOK 26.41
$3.22NOK 29.89
-11.49%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.31NOK 21.43
$2.53NOK 23.46
-8.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$17.75NOK 165
$19.55NOK 181
-9.21%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.90NOK 175
$16.72NOK 155
13.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.03NOK 37.43
$3.52NOK 32.65
14.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53NOK 42.06
$4.26NOK 39.54
6.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Stavanger
Baerum
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.75NOK 44.10
$4.58NOK 42.46
3.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$87.1NOK 808
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.21NOK 57.6
$12.49NOK 116
-50.28%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.80NOK 16.70
$1.92NOK 17.77
-6.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$105NOK 971
$71.7NOK 665
46.10%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.29NOK 21.25
$2.30NOK 21.36
-0.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.3KNOK 466.2K
$28.8KNOK 267.5K
74.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.0KNOK 398.5K
$26.3KNOK 243.9K
63.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stavanger
Baerum
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$261NOK 2,424
$349NOK 3,239
-25.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.80NOK 332
$33.16NOK 308
7.96%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.6NOK 794
$57.7NOK 535
48.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stavanger
Baerum
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1NOK 484
$54.5NOK 506
-4.37%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$37.84NOK 351
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$22.77NOK 211
$16.36NOK 152
39.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stavanger
Baerum
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$332NOK 3,079
$247NOK 2,289
34.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.2KNOK 132.2K
$16.2KNOK 150.0K
-11.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stavanger
Baerum
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$127NOK 1,182
$102NOK 946
24.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.6NOK 571
$63.2NOK 586
-2.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$156NOK 1,447
$138NOK 1,279
13.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$206NOK 1,914
$159NOK 1,474
29.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stavanger
Baerum
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,757NOK 16.3K
$1,757NOK 16.3K
-0.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,393NOK 12.9K
$1,566NOK 14.5K
-11.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,793NOK 25.9K
$3,572NOK 33.1K
-21.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,062NOK 19.1K
$3,018NOK 28.0K
-31.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,206NOK 57.6K
$11.2KNOK 104.0K
-44.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,375NOK 49.9K
$10.3KNOK 95.4K
-47.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stavanger
Baerum
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$5,012NOK 46.5K
$5,601NOK 52.0K
-10.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.27
4.6
14.57%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Stavanger: September 6, 2026
Last update for Baerum: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,757 in Stavanger versus $1,757 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 12% higher in Baerum. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Stavanger versus $131 in Baerum. Groceries tell a different story – $533 in Stavanger vs $475 in Baerum – so Baerum 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
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,827 per month in Stavanger and $4,804 in Baerum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Stavanger or in Baerum?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Stavanger and $131 in Baerum. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $332 per month in Stavanger and $247 in Baerum. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Stavanger or in Baerum?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,218 in Stavanger and $3,203 in Baerum. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Stavanger or Baerum more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Stavanger or Baerum?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.