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: $2,689 in Stavanger versus $2,382 in Grimstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,070 in Stavanger versus $3,516 in Grimstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,451 in Stavanger versus $4,650 in Grimstad.

Living in Stavanger is roughly 13% more expensive than Grimstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 100% above, Grimstad 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.39 NOK 241

$22.62 NOK 215

12.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,138

$51.1 NOK 485

134.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.31 NOK 145

$14.93 NOK 142

2.55%

Cappuccino

$5.03 NOK 47.77

$4.65 NOK 44.16

8.17%

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

$3.88 NOK 36.83

$3.95 NOK 37.53

-1.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.89

$3.18 NOK 30.15

9.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.98 NOK 104

$12.35 NOK 117

-11.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.21 NOK 96.9

$10.13 NOK 96.2

0.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 NOK 21.93

$2.38 NOK 22.61

-2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 NOK 29.59

$3.11 NOK 29.55

0.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 NOK 43.48

$3.12 NOK 29.63

46.79%

Eggs

$4.48 NOK 42.52

$3.28 NOK 31.10

36.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 NOK 122

$10.98 NOK 104

17.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.73 NOK 159

$13.84 NOK 131

20.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.83 NOK 264

$16.01 NOK 152

73.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 33.01

$2.04 NOK 19.38

70.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 NOK 25.03

$2.25 NOK 21.32

17.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 NOK 29.53

$3.32 NOK 31.53

-6.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 NOK 44.37

$4.04 NOK 38.33

15.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 NOK 19.77

$2.44 NOK 23.13

-14.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 NOK 29.27

$2.57 NOK 24.37

19.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 NOK 23.47

$2.84 NOK 26.94

-13.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.38

$1.74 NOK 16.54

5.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 NOK 142

$16.98 NOK 161

-11.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.46 NOK 175

$15.94 NOK 151

15.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 NOK 34.89

$3.38 NOK 32.07

8.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 NOK 38.90

$4.20 NOK 39.82

-2.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 43.47

$5.18 NOK 49.19

-11.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.6 NOK 651

$77.0 NOK 731

-10.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.31 NOK 145

$10.22 NOK 97.0

49.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 NOK 19.57

$1.41 NOK 13.36

46.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$100 NOK 953

$42.62 NOK 405

135.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 20.01

$2.28 NOK 21.67

-7.46%

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

$34.4K NOK 326.1K

$36.2K NOK 344.0K

-5.22%

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

$32.4K NOK 307.3K

$43.2K NOK 409.9K

-25.03%

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

$190 NOK 1,806

$300 NOK 2,843

-36.48%

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

$42.20 NOK 401

$28.50 NOK 271

48.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.1 NOK 789

$57.0 NOK 541

45.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 NOK 531

$49.64 NOK 471

12.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.16 NOK 334

$34.88 NOK 331

0.80%

Cinema Ticket

$19.57 NOK 186

$15.05 NOK 143

30.03%

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

$321 NOK 3,048

$269 NOK 2,552

19.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NOK 123.1K

$15.0K NOK 142.1K

-13.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 NOK 1,098

$50.8 NOK 482

127.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 NOK 550

$61.9 NOK 588

-6.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,017

$103 NOK 979

3.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 NOK 1,519

$166 NOK 1,580

-3.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

$1,216 NOK 11.5K

31.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 NOK 10.7K

$907 NOK 8,608

24.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,732 NOK 25.9K

$1,800 NOK 17.1K

51.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 NOK 16.8K

$1,542 NOK 14.6K

15.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,036 NOK 57.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,366 NOK 50.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,104 NOK 48.4K

$4,416 NOK 41.9K

15.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.9

-7.96%

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

Last update for Stavanger: June 8, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Stavanger and $1,216 in Grimstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 16% 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: $120 in Stavanger vs $51.0 in Grimstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $473 vs $390 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 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Stavanger pays 16% more on average, 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: $1,595 in Stavanger versus $1,216 in Grimstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,689 per month in Stavanger versus $2,382 in Grimstad – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Grimstad runs roughly 12% less than in Stavanger. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,382 in Grimstad versus $2,689 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 13% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.