Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Mandal Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Mandal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,695 in Stavanger versus $2,489 in Mandal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,140 in Stavanger versus $3,859 in Mandal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,584 in Stavanger versus $5,229 in Mandal.

Living in Stavanger is roughly 8% more expensive than Mandal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 101% above, Mandal 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.22 NOK 235

$25.16 NOK 234

0.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 NOK 1,113

$120 NOK 1,119

-0.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.32 NOK 143

$15.03 NOK 140

1.93%

Cappuccino

$5.05 NOK 47.09

$5.07 NOK 47.23

-0.39%

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

$4.01 NOK 37.36

$3.88 NOK 36.12

3.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 NOK 32.25

$3.39 NOK 31.60

2.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.16 NOK 104

$11.09 NOK 103

0.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.94 NOK 92.7

$10.14 NOK 94.5

-1.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 NOK 22.84

$2.09 NOK 19.49

17.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 NOK 28.90

$3.15 NOK 29.34

-1.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.61 NOK 42.97

$4.46 NOK 41.54

3.36%

Eggs

$4.34 NOK 40.44

$2.99 NOK 27.90

45.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.93 NOK 120

$13.32 NOK 124

-2.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.27 NOK 152

$15.78 NOK 147

3.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.67 NOK 258

$26.97 NOK 251

2.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 NOK 31.76

$3.42 NOK 31.92

-0.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 NOK 24.42

$2.62 NOK 24.39

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 NOK 28.07

$3.00 NOK 27.93

0.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 NOK 42.42

$4.64 NOK 43.23

-1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NOK 19.28

$2.06 NOK 19.23

0.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 NOK 27.85

$2.95 NOK 27.48

1.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 NOK 23.00

$1.48 NOK 13.76

66.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 NOK 17.14

$1.84 NOK 17.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.09 NOK 141

$15.40 NOK 143

-2.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.20 NOK 179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 NOK 33.07

$3.11 NOK 28.96

14.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 NOK 37.39

$2.93 NOK 27.27

36.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.48 NOK 41.78

$4.13 NOK 38.47

8.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.9 NOK 623

$72.6 NOK 677

-7.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.00 NOK 140

$5.70 NOK 53.1

163.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 NOK 19.44

$1.05 NOK 9.80

99.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$102 NOK 951

$99.6 NOK 928

2.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 19.66

$2.10 NOK 19.61

0.48%

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

$33.8K NOK 315.5K

$34.7K NOK 323.2K

-2.39%

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

$33.0K NOK 307.7K

$32.1K NOK 299.6K

2.73%

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

$191 NOK 1,782

$194 NOK 1,805

-1.31%

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

$43.15 NOK 402

$32.72 NOK 305

31.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.5 NOK 750

$80.7 NOK 752

-0.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 NOK 522

$48.72 NOK 454

15.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.16 NOK 328

$35.29 NOK 329

-0.37%

Cinema Ticket

$19.31 NOK 180

$18.92 NOK 176

2.06%

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

$322 NOK 2,998

$320 NOK 2,985

0.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K NOK 123.5K

$13.0K NOK 120.9K

2.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 NOK 1,087

$116 NOK 1,079

0.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.7 NOK 547

$60.0 NOK 559

-2.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 994

$104 NOK 969

2.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 NOK 1,484

$161 NOK 1,499

-0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 NOK 14.7K

$1,210 NOK 11.3K

30.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 NOK 10.5K

$888 NOK 8,280

26.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,783 NOK 25.9K

$1,805 NOK 16.8K

54.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 NOK 16.6K

$1,551 NOK 14.5K

14.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,940 NOK 55.4K

$5,484 NOK 51.1K

8.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,361 NOK 50.0K

$4,627 NOK 43.1K

15.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,014 NOK 46.7K

$4,425 NOK 41.2K

13.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

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

Last update for Stavanger: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mandal: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,580 in Stavanger and $1,210 in Mandal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 13% 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: $119 in Stavanger vs $120 in Mandal. Groceries flip the comparison at $470 vs $450, with Mandal cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mandal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Stavanger pays 13% 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: $1,580 in Stavanger versus $1,210 in Mandal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,695 per month in Stavanger versus $2,489 in Mandal – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mandal runs roughly 9% 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. Mandal is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Mandal 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 Mandal 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 Mandal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.