Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Drammen Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Drammen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,744 per month in Stavanger vs $2,214 in Drammen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,187 per month in Stavanger vs $3,324 in Drammen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,629 per month in Stavanger vs $4,434 in Drammen, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 24% more than Drammen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Stavanger and Drammen sit above the global median – Stavanger by 105%, Drammen by 65%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Stavanger
Drammen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.49 NOK 237
$20.64 NOK 192
23.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$121 NOK 1,125
$75.3 NOK 701
60.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.31 NOK 143
$13.06 NOK 122
17.23%
Cappuccino
$5.17 NOK 48.13
$4.99 NOK 46.43
3.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 NOK 37.65
$2.42 NOK 22.52
66.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.47 NOK 32.27
$2.64 NOK 24.60
31.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.15 NOK 104
$7.82 NOK 72.8
42.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.27 NOK 95.6
$6.19 NOK 57.6
65.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stavanger
Drammen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.45 NOK 22.78
$2.20 NOK 20.51
11.36%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 NOK 28.09
$3.13 NOK 29.17
-3.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.56 NOK 42.47
$3.15 NOK 29.34
44.76%
Eggs
$4.46 NOK 41.54
$4.19 NOK 38.98
6.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.11 NOK 122
$11.60 NOK 108
13.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.72 NOK 156
$13.42 NOK 125
24.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.15 NOK 253
$17.23 NOK 160
57.57%
Apples (1kg)
$3.58 NOK 33.33
$2.05 NOK 19.08
74.63%
Banana (1kg)
$2.56 NOK 23.85
$2.32 NOK 21.62
10.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.98 NOK 27.78
$3.42 NOK 31.83
-12.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.61 NOK 42.92
$3.95 NOK 36.79
16.71%
Potato (1kg)
$2.09 NOK 19.46
$2.27 NOK 21.14
-7.93%
Onion (1kg)
$3.09 NOK 28.76
$1.34 NOK 12.48
130.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.50 NOK 23.31
$1.85 NOK 17.18
35.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 NOK 16.85
$1.93 NOK 17.93
-6.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.37 NOK 143
$14.45 NOK 135
6.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.14 NOK 178
$13.02 NOK 121
47.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.63 NOK 33.77
$3.07 NOK 28.58
18.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.13 NOK 38.47
$3.91 NOK 36.39
5.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Stavanger
Drammen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.66 NOK 43.40
$2.81 NOK 26.17
65.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.1 NOK 624
$75.5 NOK 703
-11.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$14.97 NOK 139
$10.01 NOK 93.2
49.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.12 NOK 19.74
$1.26 NOK 11.77
68.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$99.8 NOK 929
$103 NOK 959
-3.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.15 NOK 20.00
$2.17 NOK 20.21
-0.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K NOK 316.4K
$39.9K NOK 371.5K
-14.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K NOK 305.1K
$38.9K NOK 362.0K
-15.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stavanger
Drammen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$191 NOK 1,782
$217 NOK 2,021
-11.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$42.73 NOK 398
$44.32 NOK 413
-3.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$81.9 NOK 763
$38.34 NOK 357
113.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stavanger
Drammen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.8 NOK 520
$86.1 NOK 801
-35.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.64 NOK 332
$35.80 NOK 333
-0.45%
Cinema Ticket
$19.51 NOK 182
$14.77 NOK 138
32.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stavanger
Drammen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$318 NOK 2,963
$310 NOK 2,887
2.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K NOK 118.9K
$10.2K NOK 95.4K
24.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stavanger
Drammen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$119 NOK 1,109
$97.8 NOK 910
21.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.3 NOK 543
$25.22 NOK 235
131.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 NOK 983
$97.7 NOK 909
8.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$157 NOK 1,463
$142 NOK 1,326
10.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stavanger
Drammen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,604 NOK 14.9K
$932 NOK 8,676
72.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,115 NOK 10.4K
$777 NOK 7,229
43.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,756 NOK 25.7K
$1,491 NOK 13.9K
84.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,738 NOK 16.2K
$1,343 NOK 12.5K
29.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,190 NOK 57.6K
$10.8K NOK 100.7K
-42.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,435 NOK 50.6K
$6,561 NOK 61.1K
-17.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stavanger
Drammen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,992 NOK 46.5K
$3,747 NOK 34.9K
33.25%
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 Drammen: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Stavanger versus $932 in Drammen. 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 33% 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 $121 in Stavanger versus $75.0 in Drammen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $472 vs $383 – making Drammen 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 Drammen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Stavanger and Drammen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,744 in Stavanger, $2,214 in Drammen – roughly 24% apart. Stavanger costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Stavanger compared to Drammen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,117 per month in Stavanger and $3,321 in Drammen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Stavanger and Drammen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Drammen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Stavanger and Drammen?
Kindergarten costs $318 per month in Stavanger and $310 in Drammen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 23% more in Stavanger, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Drammen, where all-in costs run around $2,214, than in Stavanger at $2,744. In Drammen 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 Drammen?
It depends on your priorities. Stavanger has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,214 in Drammen to $2,744 in Stavanger. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Stavanger or Drammen 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 Drammen?
If budget matters most, go with Drammen. 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.

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