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: $3,218 in Stavanger versus $2,842 in Mandal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,673 in Stavanger versus $4,323 in Mandal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,128 in Stavanger versus $5,805 in Mandal.

Living in Stavanger is roughly 13% more expensive than in Mandal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 133% above, Mandal 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.27 NOK 235

$25.74 NOK 239

-1.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.7 NOK 908

$99.0 NOK 919

-1.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.20 NOK 151

$16.23 NOK 151

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$6.50 NOK 60.4

$6.42 NOK 59.7

1.25%

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

$5.65 NOK 52.5

$5.36 NOK 49.79

5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 NOK 42.91

$4.35 NOK 40.37

6.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.72 NOK 128

$13.73 NOK 128

-0.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.21 NOK 113

$12.09 NOK 112

0.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 NOK 22.19

$2.25 NOK 20.88

6.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 NOK 34.30

$3.72 NOK 34.54

-0.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 NOK 37.55

$3.81 NOK 35.42

6.04%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 46.74

$3.27 NOK 30.38

53.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.21 NOK 141

$13.93 NOK 129

9.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.62 NOK 164

$17.21 NOK 160

2.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.78 NOK 332

$35.53 NOK 330

0.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.21

$3.56 NOK 33.04

0.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 NOK 26.92

$2.77 NOK 25.77

4.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 NOK 33.75

$3.59 NOK 33.35

1.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 NOK 45.24

$4.83 NOK 44.89

0.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 NOK 24.35

$2.58 NOK 23.93

1.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 NOK 30.07

$3.16 NOK 29.35

2.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.45

$1.57 NOK 14.57

81.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 NOK 21.46

$2.32 NOK 21.57

-0.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.75 NOK 165

$17.60 NOK 164

0.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.90 NOK 176

$18.97 NOK 176

-0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.03 NOK 37.48

$3.17 NOK 29.44

27.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 NOK 42.12

$3.07 NOK 28.53

47.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.75 NOK 44.17

$4.85 NOK 45.03

-2.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 NOK 809

$84.9 NOK 789

2.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 NOK 57.7

$6.06 NOK 56.3

2.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NOK 16.72

$1.25 NOK 11.63

44.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$105 NOK 973

$104 NOK 970

0.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 21.28

$2.27 NOK 21.13

0.88%

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

$50.3K NOK 466.8K

$49.8K NOK 462.5K

0.93%

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

$43.0K NOK 399.1K

$42.5K NOK 394.6K

1.12%

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

$261 NOK 2,428

$243 NOK 2,258

7.51%

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

$35.80 NOK 333

$34.78 NOK 323

2.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.6 NOK 796

$84.7 NOK 787

1.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 NOK 484

$51.5 NOK 478

1.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.84 NOK 352

$37.11 NOK 345

1.97%

Cinema Ticket

$22.77 NOK 211

$22.10 NOK 205

3.03%

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

$332 NOK 3,083

$321 NOK 2,980

3.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K NOK 132.3K

$14.3K NOK 132.7K

-0.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$127 NOK 1,184

$129 NOK 1,198

-1.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 NOK 572

$62.1 NOK 577

-0.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 NOK 1,449

$156 NOK 1,453

-0.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 NOK 1,917

$203 NOK 1,888

1.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,757 NOK 16.3K

$1,229 NOK 11.4K

42.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 NOK 12.9K

$1,038 NOK 9,645

34.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,793 NOK 25.9K

$2,050 NOK 19.0K

36.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 NOK 19.2K

$1,702 NOK 15.8K

21.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,206 NOK 57.7K

$6,369 NOK 59.2K

-2.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,375 NOK 49.9K

$4,272 NOK 39.7K

25.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,012 NOK 46.6K

$4,365 NOK 40.5K

14.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

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

Last update for Stavanger: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mandal: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,757 in Stavanger and $1,229 in Mandal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 15% 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: $98.0 in Stavanger vs $99.0 in Mandal. Groceries flip the comparison at $533 vs $503, 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, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $1,757 in Stavanger versus $1,229 in Mandal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,218 per month in Stavanger versus $2,842 in Mandal – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mandal runs roughly 3% 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 13% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.