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: $2,699 in Stavanger versus $2,452 in Grimstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,150 in Stavanger versus $3,553 in Grimstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,601 in Stavanger versus $4,654 in Grimstad.

Living in Stavanger is roughly 10% more expensive than in Grimstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 103% above, Grimstad 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.22 NOK 242

$22.92 NOK 220

10.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,180

$50.8 NOK 488

142.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.08 NOK 145

$14.84 NOK 142

1.62%

Cappuccino

$5.02 NOK 48.16

$4.47 NOK 42.89

12.30%

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

$3.89 NOK 37.28

$3.99 NOK 38.24

-2.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 NOK 32.64

$3.32 NOK 31.81

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 NOK 105

$12.32 NOK 118

-10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.26 NOK 98.4

$10.31 NOK 98.9

-0.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 22.99

$2.30 NOK 22.11

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 NOK 29.80

$3.23 NOK 30.99

-3.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 NOK 44.54

$2.95 NOK 28.35

57.29%

Eggs

$4.52 NOK 43.38

$3.13 NOK 29.98

44.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 NOK 124

$10.76 NOK 103

20.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.24 NOK 156

$13.86 NOK 133

17.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.67 NOK 265

$15.99 NOK 153

73.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.83

$2.00 NOK 19.15

76.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 24.20

$2.22 NOK 21.33

13.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 NOK 29.27

$3.43 NOK 32.87

-11.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 NOK 44.68

$3.96 NOK 37.97

17.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NOK 19.66

$2.50 NOK 24.01

-18.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 NOK 29.20

$2.63 NOK 25.22

15.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 NOK 24.76

$2.79 NOK 26.75

-7.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NOK 16.75

$1.75 NOK 16.78

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.11 NOK 145

$17.01 NOK 163

-11.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.96 NOK 172

$15.50 NOK 149

15.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 NOK 33.99

$3.37 NOK 32.35

5.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 NOK 39.14

$4.38 NOK 41.97

-6.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 43.95

$5.20 NOK 49.91

-11.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.1 NOK 663

$74.7 NOK 717

-7.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.37 NOK 147

$10.04 NOK 96.3

53.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 NOK 19.85

$1.41 NOK 13.52

46.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$103 NOK 983

$42.65 NOK 409

140.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 21.17

$2.26 NOK 21.65

-2.21%

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

$34.7K NOK 333.0K

$35.5K NOK 340.8K

-2.28%

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

$32.7K NOK 313.8K

$43.4K NOK 416.7K

-24.69%

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

$192 NOK 1,842

$299 NOK 2,864

-35.66%

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

$42.41 NOK 407

$28.29 NOK 271

49.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 NOK 776

$55.0 NOK 528

46.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 NOK 535

$49.39 NOK 474

13.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.17 NOK 337

$35.26 NOK 338

-0.26%

Cinema Ticket

$19.02 NOK 182

$15.14 NOK 145

25.63%

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

$314 NOK 3,010

$267 NOK 2,565

17.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 123.6K

$14.7K NOK 141.3K

-12.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 NOK 1,108

$49.96 NOK 479

131.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 NOK 560

$61.3 NOK 588

-4.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,030

$99.9 NOK 959

7.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 NOK 1,510

$165 NOK 1,580

-4.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.3K

$1,227 NOK 11.8K

30.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 NOK 10.9K

$894 NOK 8,576

27.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 NOK 26.8K

$1,789 NOK 17.2K

56.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 NOK 17.0K

$1,541 NOK 14.8K

15.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,005 NOK 57.6K

$4,700 NOK 45.1K

27.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,223 NOK 50.1K

$3,305 NOK 31.7K

58.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,909 NOK 47.1K

$4,443 NOK 42.6K

10.51%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Stavanger and $1,227 in Grimstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 11% 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: $123 in Stavanger vs $51.0 in Grimstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $468 vs $388 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, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 11% 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: $1,595 in Stavanger versus $1,227 in Grimstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,699 per month in Stavanger versus $2,452 in Grimstad – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Grimstad runs roughly 8% less than in Stavanger. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Grimstad is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 10% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.