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: $2,689 in Stavanger versus $2,463 in Mandal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,070 in Stavanger versus $3,836 in Mandal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,451 in Stavanger versus $5,210 in Mandal.

Living in Stavanger is roughly 9% more expensive than Mandal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 100% above, Mandal 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.39 NOK 241

$25.33 NOK 240

0.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,138

$119 NOK 1,133

0.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.31 NOK 145

$14.88 NOK 141

2.89%

Cappuccino

$5.03 NOK 47.77

$5.03 NOK 47.74

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

$3.88 NOK 36.83

$4.05 NOK 38.49

-4.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.89

$3.30 NOK 31.35

5.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.98 NOK 104

$10.95 NOK 104

0.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.21 NOK 96.9

$10.28 NOK 97.5

-0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 NOK 21.93

$2.11 NOK 20.05

9.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 NOK 29.59

$3.11 NOK 29.51

0.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 NOK 43.48

$4.57 NOK 43.40

0.22%

Eggs

$4.48 NOK 42.52

$3.11 NOK 29.51

44.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 NOK 122

$12.98 NOK 123

-0.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.73 NOK 159

$16.29 NOK 155

2.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.83 NOK 264

$27.67 NOK 263

0.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 33.01

$3.58 NOK 33.95

-2.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 NOK 25.03

$2.56 NOK 24.25

3.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 NOK 29.53

$3.02 NOK 28.66

2.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 NOK 44.37

$4.80 NOK 45.59

-2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 NOK 19.77

$2.06 NOK 19.56

0.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 NOK 29.27

$3.03 NOK 28.75

1.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 NOK 23.47

$1.56 NOK 14.77

58.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.38

$1.76 NOK 16.67

3.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 NOK 142

$15.45 NOK 147

-3.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.46 NOK 175

$18.75 NOK 178

-1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 NOK 34.89

$2.99 NOK 28.34

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 NOK 38.90

$2.95 NOK 27.97

38.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 43.47

$4.14 NOK 39.32

10.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.6 NOK 651

$72.9 NOK 692

-5.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.31 NOK 145

$5.59 NOK 53.1

173.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 NOK 19.57

$1.06 NOK 10.05

94.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$100 NOK 953

$103 NOK 978

-2.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 20.01

$2.16 NOK 20.54

-2.31%

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

$34.4K NOK 326.1K

$34.7K NOK 329.6K

-1.08%

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

$32.4K NOK 307.3K

$33.4K NOK 317.2K

-3.11%

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

$190 NOK 1,806

$187 NOK 1,773

1.85%

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

$42.20 NOK 401

$33.56 NOK 319

25.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.1 NOK 789

$83.0 NOK 788

0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 NOK 531

$48.88 NOK 464

14.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.16 NOK 334

$35.60 NOK 338

-1.24%

Cinema Ticket

$19.57 NOK 186

$19.07 NOK 181

2.62%

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

$321 NOK 3,048

$320 NOK 3,040

0.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NOK 123.1K

$13.1K NOK 124.5K

-1.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 NOK 1,098

$117 NOK 1,113

-1.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 NOK 550

$58.1 NOK 551

-0.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,017

$105 NOK 1,000

1.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 NOK 1,519

$162 NOK 1,538

-1.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

$1,228 NOK 11.7K

29.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 NOK 10.7K

$887 NOK 8,415

27.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,732 NOK 25.9K

$1,792 NOK 17.0K

52.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 NOK 16.8K

$1,537 NOK 14.6K

15.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,036 NOK 57.3K

$6,808 NOK 64.6K

-11.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,366 NOK 50.9K

$4,481 NOK 42.5K

19.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,104 NOK 48.4K

$4,425 NOK 42.0K

15.35%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mandal: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Stavanger and $1,228 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: $120 in Stavanger vs $119 in Mandal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $473 vs $454 per month, with Mandal 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 Mandal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Stavanger pays 15% 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: $1,595 in Stavanger versus $1,228 in Mandal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,689 per month in Stavanger versus $2,463 in Mandal – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mandal runs roughly 6% 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 9% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.