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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,699 per month in Stavanger vs $2,375 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,150 per month in Stavanger vs $3,557 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,601 per month in Stavanger vs $4,738 in Kongsberg, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 14% more than Kongsberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Stavanger and Kongsberg sit above the global median – Stavanger by 103%, Kongsberg by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.22 NOK 239

$22.09 NOK 209

14.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,167

$72.1 NOK 683

70.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.08 NOK 143

$13.09 NOK 124

15.20%

Cappuccino

$5.02 NOK 47.61

$4.82 NOK 45.67

4.15%

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

$3.89 NOK 36.85

$2.50 NOK 23.72

55.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 NOK 32.26

$2.15 NOK 20.41

58.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 NOK 104

$9.30 NOK 88.2

18.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.26 NOK 97.3

$10.13 NOK 96.1

1.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 22.72

$2.16 NOK 20.50

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 NOK 29.46

$3.10 NOK 29.36

0.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 NOK 44.03

$3.33 NOK 31.60

39.34%

Eggs

$4.52 NOK 42.88

$4.83 NOK 45.77

-6.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 NOK 123

$10.29 NOK 97.6

26.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.24 NOK 154

$11.69 NOK 111

38.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.67 NOK 262

$18.20 NOK 173

52.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.45

$3.04 NOK 28.87

16.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 23.92

$2.35 NOK 22.25

7.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 NOK 28.94

$3.34 NOK 31.67

-8.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 NOK 44.17

$4.12 NOK 39.04

13.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NOK 19.44

$2.21 NOK 20.92

-7.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 NOK 28.86

$2.21 NOK 20.96

37.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 NOK 24.47

$2.97 NOK 28.12

-13.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NOK 16.56

$1.92 NOK 18.24

-8.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.11 NOK 143

$17.05 NOK 162

-11.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.96 NOK 170

$15.55 NOK 147

15.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 NOK 33.60

$3.32 NOK 31.50

6.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 NOK 38.69

$3.85 NOK 36.49

5.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 43.44

$2.47 NOK 23.37

85.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.1 NOK 656

$88.3 NOK 838

-21.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.37 NOK 146

$10.01 NOK 94.9

53.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 NOK 19.62

$1.44 NOK 13.67

43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$103 NOK 972

$30.84 NOK 292

232.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 20.92

$2.12 NOK 20.12

4.25%

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

$34.7K NOK 329.2K

$37.8K NOK 358.2K

-8.09%

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

$32.7K NOK 310.2K

$41.0K NOK 389.0K

-20.25%

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

$192 NOK 1,821

$220 NOK 2,085

-12.66%

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

$42.41 NOK 402

$27.19 NOK 258

55.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 NOK 767

$38.66 NOK 367

109.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 NOK 529

$44.59 NOK 423

25.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.17 NOK 333

$54.5 NOK 516

-35.43%

Cinema Ticket

$19.02 NOK 180

$19.86 NOK 188

-4.23%

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

$314 NOK 2,975

$304 NOK 2,886

3.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 122.1K

$3,645 NOK 34.6K

253.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 NOK 1,096

$88.6 NOK 840

30.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 NOK 553

$52.0 NOK 493

12.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,018

$159 NOK 1,503

-32.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 NOK 1,493

$164 NOK 1,554

-3.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

$988 NOK 9,368

61.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 NOK 10.8K

$896 NOK 8,501

26.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 NOK 26.5K

$1,769 NOK 16.8K

58.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 NOK 16.9K

$1,551 NOK 14.7K

14.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,005 NOK 56.9K

$5,933 NOK 56.3K

1.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,223 NOK 49.5K

$4,082 NOK 38.7K

27.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,909 NOK 46.6K

$3,556 NOK 33.7K

38.04%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Kongsberg: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,595 in Stavanger versus $988 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 38% 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 $123 in Stavanger versus $72.0 in Kongsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $468 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 14%, 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 $4,048 per month in Stavanger and $3,563 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 $2,699 in Stavanger and $2,375 in Kongsberg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 28% 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 $2,375, than in Stavanger at $2,699. 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.