Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Kongsberg Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Kongsberg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,689 per month in Stavanger vs $2,388 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,070 per month in Stavanger vs $3,537 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,451 per month in Stavanger vs $4,687 in Kongsberg, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 13% more than Kongsberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Stavanger and Kongsberg sit above the global median – Stavanger by 100%, Kongsberg by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.39 NOK 241

$22.05 NOK 209

15.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,138

$70.1 NOK 665

71.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.31 NOK 145

$13.43 NOK 127

14.00%

Cappuccino

$5.03 NOK 47.77

$4.82 NOK 45.73

4.36%

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

$3.88 NOK 36.83

$2.46 NOK 23.35

57.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.89

$2.21 NOK 20.98

57.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.98 NOK 104

$9.13 NOK 86.6

20.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.21 NOK 96.9

$10.07 NOK 95.6

1.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 NOK 21.93

$2.20 NOK 20.90

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 NOK 29.59

$3.14 NOK 29.85

-0.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 NOK 43.48

$3.31 NOK 31.38

38.37%

Eggs

$4.48 NOK 42.52

$4.79 NOK 45.45

-6.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 NOK 122

$10.56 NOK 100

22.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.73 NOK 159

$11.80 NOK 112

41.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.83 NOK 264

$18.13 NOK 172

53.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 33.01

$3.11 NOK 29.47

11.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 NOK 25.03

$2.26 NOK 21.45

16.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 NOK 29.53

$3.30 NOK 31.34

-5.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 NOK 44.37

$4.16 NOK 39.50

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 NOK 19.77

$2.27 NOK 21.56

-8.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 NOK 29.27

$2.16 NOK 20.50

42.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 NOK 23.47

$2.98 NOK 28.28

-17.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.38

$1.88 NOK 17.87

-2.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 NOK 142

$17.04 NOK 162

-12.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.46 NOK 175

$15.62 NOK 148

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 NOK 34.89

$3.18 NOK 30.14

15.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 NOK 38.90

$3.76 NOK 35.72

9.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 43.47

$2.51 NOK 23.84

82.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.6 NOK 651

$91.6 NOK 869

-25.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.31 NOK 145

$9.92 NOK 94.2

54.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 NOK 19.57

$1.40 NOK 13.33

47.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$100 NOK 953

$29.84 NOK 283

236.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 20.01

$2.11 NOK 20.07

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

$34.4K NOK 326.1K

$38.2K NOK 362.9K

-10.15%

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

$32.4K NOK 307.3K

$41.3K NOK 391.9K

-21.58%

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

$190 NOK 1,806

$219 NOK 2,078

-13.12%

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

$42.20 NOK 401

$27.18 NOK 258

55.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.1 NOK 789

$38.57 NOK 366

115.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 NOK 531

$43.84 NOK 416

27.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.16 NOK 334

$53.3 NOK 506

-34.01%

Cinema Ticket

$19.57 NOK 186

$20.31 NOK 193

-3.64%

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

$321 NOK 3,048

$312 NOK 2,961

2.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NOK 123.1K

$3,700 NOK 35.1K

250.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 NOK 1,098

$89.0 NOK 844

30.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 NOK 550

$52.9 NOK 502

9.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,017

$158 NOK 1,501

-32.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 NOK 1,519

$160 NOK 1,515

0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

$1,021 NOK 9,694

56.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 NOK 10.7K

$910 NOK 8,642

23.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,732 NOK 25.9K

$1,720 NOK 16.3K

58.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 NOK 16.8K

$1,589 NOK 15.1K

11.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,036 NOK 57.3K

$6,266 NOK 59.5K

-3.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,366 NOK 50.9K

$4,167 NOK 39.5K

28.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,104 NOK 48.4K

$3,562 NOK 33.8K

43.29%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kongsberg: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,595 in Stavanger versus $1,021 in Kongsberg. 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 43% 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 $120 in Stavanger versus $70.0 in Kongsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $473 vs $394 – making Kongsberg 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 Kongsberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,033 per month in Stavanger and $3,581 in Kongsberg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kongsberg, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,689 in Stavanger and $2,388 in Kongsberg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Kongsberg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Kongsberg, where all-in costs run around $2,388, than in Stavanger at $2,689. In Kongsberg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stavanger it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kongsberg – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Kongsberg. 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.