Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Holmestrand Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Holmestrand

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,773 in Stavanger versus $2,336 in Holmestrand.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,172 in Stavanger versus $3,642 in Holmestrand.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,570 in Stavanger versus $4,949 in Holmestrand.

Living in Stavanger is roughly 19% more expensive than Holmestrand, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 108% above, Holmestrand 75% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Stavanger
Holmestrand
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.16 NOK 238
$19.40 NOK 184
29.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$120 NOK 1,137
$101 NOK 959
18.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.88 NOK 141
$13.13 NOK 124
13.33%
Cappuccino
$5.21 NOK 49.33
$4.79 NOK 45.40
8.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 NOK 37.04
$1.99 NOK 18.86
96.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.35 NOK 31.75
$2.04 NOK 19.35
64.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$10.96 NOK 104
$8.94 NOK 84.7
22.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.32 NOK 97.8
$9.77 NOK 92.5
5.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stavanger
Holmestrand
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.34 NOK 22.21
$1.64 NOK 15.57
42.68%
White Bread (500g)
$3.14 NOK 29.78
$3.45 NOK 32.66
-8.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.45 NOK 42.15
$2.05 NOK 19.43
117.07%
Eggs
$4.47 NOK 42.30
$4.08 NOK 38.67
9.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.02 NOK 123
$11.16 NOK 106
16.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.38 NOK 155
$14.00 NOK 133
17.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.93 NOK 265
$41.15 NOK 390
-32.13%
Apples (1kg)
$3.59 NOK 34.00
$1.98 NOK 18.72
81.31%
Banana (1kg)
$2.55 NOK 24.13
$2.23 NOK 21.16
14.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.06 NOK 28.99
$3.31 NOK 31.37
-7.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.74 NOK 44.89
$2.42 NOK 22.89
95.87%
Potato (1kg)
$2.15 NOK 20.36
$0.79 NOK 7.44
172.15%
Onion (1kg)
$2.91 NOK 27.57
$1.34 NOK 12.70
117.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.53 NOK 23.96
$2.88 NOK 27.29
-12.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 NOK 16.51
$1.83 NOK 17.32
-4.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.98 NOK 142
$14.05 NOK 133
6.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.43 NOK 175
$19.13 NOK 181
-3.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.62 NOK 34.32
$3.06 NOK 28.97
18.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.14 NOK 39.23
$4.04 NOK 38.29
2.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Stavanger
Holmestrand
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.45 NOK 42.11
$4.15 NOK 39.28
7.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$68.1 NOK 645
$72.0 NOK 682
-5.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$15.31 NOK 145
$8.63 NOK 81.8
77.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 NOK 20.21
$0.96 NOK 9.11
121.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$100 NOK 951
$102 NOK 962
-1.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.22 NOK 21.07
$2.20 NOK 20.86
0.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K NOK 324.3K
$37.5K NOK 355.4K
-8.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K NOK 315.6K
$34.4K NOK 326.2K
-3.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stavanger
Holmestrand
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$191 NOK 1,812
$216 NOK 2,043
-11.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$42.07 NOK 398
$43.05 NOK 408
-2.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$81.5 NOK 772
$37.99 NOK 360
114.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stavanger
Holmestrand
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.9 NOK 530
$48.92 NOK 463
14.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.10 NOK 332
$35.65 NOK 338
-1.54%
Cinema Ticket
$18.95 NOK 180
$14.99 NOK 142
26.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stavanger
Holmestrand
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$314 NOK 2,976
$304 NOK 2,883
3.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K NOK 121.5K
$10.2K NOK 96.5K
25.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stavanger
Holmestrand
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$117 NOK 1,110
$112 NOK 1,057
5.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.1 NOK 569
$30.80 NOK 292
94.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 NOK 994
$99.6 NOK 943
5.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$156 NOK 1,480
$133 NOK 1,261
17.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stavanger
Holmestrand
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,591 NOK 15.1K
$1,195 NOK 11.3K
33.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 NOK 10.9K
$908 NOK 8,605
26.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,775 NOK 26.3K
$1,790 NOK 17.0K
55.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,773 NOK 16.8K
$1,543 NOK 14.6K
14.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,070 NOK 57.5K
$6,550 NOK 62.0K
-7.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,176 NOK 49.0K
$3,699 NOK 35.0K
39.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stavanger
Holmestrand
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,897 NOK 46.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
2
125.50%

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

Last update for Stavanger: June 15, 2026

Last update for Holmestrand: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,591 in Stavanger and $1,195 in Holmestrand. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $120 in Stavanger vs $101 in Holmestrand for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $471 vs $451 per month, with Holmestrand 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 Holmestrand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Stavanger or Holmestrand?
Holmestrand wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Stavanger. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Holmestrand the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Stavanger vs Holmestrand?
You'd need roughly $4,160 in Stavanger and $3,504 in Holmestrand to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Stavanger vs Holmestrand?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,591 in Stavanger versus $1,195 in Holmestrand. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Stavanger and Holmestrand?
Childcare runs $314 in Stavanger versus $304 in Holmestrand. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Stavanger or Holmestrand?
Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Stavanger. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Stavanger or Holmestrand?
At $2,336 in Holmestrand versus $2,773 in Stavanger, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Holmestrand but tight or insufficient in Stavanger. The gap between the two cities makes Holmestrand the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Stavanger or Holmestrand?
Both work as nomad bases, but Holmestrand delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,336 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Holmestrand hard to pass up.
How safe is Stavanger compared to Holmestrand?
Safety-wise, Stavanger and Holmestrand are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Holmestrand gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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