Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Grimstad Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Grimstad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,218 in Stavanger versus $2,217 in Grimstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,673 in Stavanger versus $3,795 in Grimstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,128 in Stavanger versus $5,373 in Grimstad.

Living in Stavanger is roughly 45% more expensive than in Grimstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 133% above, Grimstad 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.27 NOK 235

$21.54 NOK 200

17.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.7 NOK 908

$79.4 NOK 738

23.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.20 NOK 151

$15.52 NOK 144

4.38%

Cappuccino

$6.50 NOK 60.4

$4.83 NOK 44.89

34.58%

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

$5.65 NOK 52.5

$4.34 NOK 40.32

30.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 NOK 42.91

$3.52 NOK 32.72

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.72 NOK 128

$11.77 NOK 109

16.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.21 NOK 113

$10.92 NOK 101

11.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 NOK 22.19

$2.60 NOK 24.13

-8.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 NOK 34.30

$3.76 NOK 34.89

-1.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 NOK 37.55

$3.15 NOK 29.25

28.25%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 46.74

$3.62 NOK 33.61

38.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.21 NOK 141

$13.35 NOK 124

13.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.62 NOK 164

$14.60 NOK 136

20.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.78 NOK 332

$25.16 NOK 234

42.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.21

$2.18 NOK 20.28

64.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 NOK 26.92

$2.38 NOK 22.13

21.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 NOK 33.75

$3.50 NOK 32.53

3.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 NOK 45.24

$4.41 NOK 40.96

10.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 NOK 24.35

$2.78 NOK 25.85

-5.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 NOK 30.07

$2.98 NOK 27.69

8.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.45

$3.20 NOK 29.76

-10.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 NOK 21.46

$1.93 NOK 17.96

19.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.75 NOK 165

$19.65 NOK 183

-9.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.90 NOK 176

$15.93 NOK 148

18.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.03 NOK 37.48

$3.48 NOK 32.34

15.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 NOK 42.12

$4.44 NOK 41.24

2.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.75 NOK 44.17

$5.53 NOK 51.4

-14.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 NOK 809

$95.2 NOK 885

-8.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 NOK 57.7

$12.33 NOK 115

-49.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NOK 16.72

$1.85 NOK 17.15

-2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$105 NOK 973

$71.1 NOK 660

47.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 21.28

$2.25 NOK 20.91

1.78%

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

$50.3K NOK 466.8K

$49.3K NOK 457.6K

2.03%

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

$43.0K NOK 399.1K

$46.3K NOK 429.7K

-7.13%

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

$261 NOK 2,428

$317 NOK 2,947

-17.63%

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

$35.80 NOK 333

$33.46 NOK 311

6.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.6 NOK 796

$57.6 NOK 535

48.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 NOK 484

$43.15 NOK 401

20.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.84 NOK 352

Cinema Ticket

$22.77 NOK 211

$16.42 NOK 153

38.67%

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

$332 NOK 3,083

$254 NOK 2,358

30.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K NOK 132.3K

$16.3K NOK 151.2K

-12.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$127 NOK 1,184

$97.7 NOK 908

30.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 NOK 572

$54.4 NOK 505

13.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 NOK 1,449

$108 NOK 999

45.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 NOK 1,917

$158 NOK 1,469

30.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,757 NOK 16.3K

$919 NOK 8,541

91.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 NOK 12.9K

$535 NOK 4,971

160.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,793 NOK 25.9K

$1,988 NOK 18.5K

40.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 NOK 19.2K

$1,829 NOK 17.0K

12.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,206 NOK 57.7K

$4,773 NOK 44.3K

30.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,375 NOK 49.9K

$3,457 NOK 32.1K

55.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,012 NOK 46.6K

$4,632 NOK 43.0K

8.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

4.9

7.55%

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

Last update for Stavanger: September 6, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,757 in Stavanger and $919 in Grimstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 8% 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: $98.0 in Stavanger vs $79.0 in Grimstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $533 vs $449 per month, with Grimstad 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 Grimstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grimstad is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 8% 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: $1,757 in Stavanger versus $919 in Grimstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,218 per month in Stavanger versus $2,217 in Grimstad – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Grimstad runs roughly 9% less than in Stavanger. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,217 in Grimstad versus $3,218 in Stavanger, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Grimstad but tight or insufficient in Stavanger. The gap between the two cities makes Grimstad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Grimstad is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Stavanger, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Stavanger and Grimstad 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 Grimstad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.