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: $2,699 in Stavanger versus $2,415 in Mandal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,150 in Stavanger versus $3,779 in Mandal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,601 in Stavanger versus $5,143 in Mandal.

Living in Stavanger is roughly 12% more expensive than in Mandal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 103% above, Mandal 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.22 NOK 242

$24.83 NOK 238

1.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,180

$121 NOK 1,164

1.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.08 NOK 145

$15.14 NOK 145

-0.40%

Cappuccino

$5.02 NOK 48.16

$5.17 NOK 49.56

-2.90%

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

$3.89 NOK 37.28

$3.94 NOK 37.80

-1.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 NOK 32.64

$3.30 NOK 31.66

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 NOK 105

$11.14 NOK 107

-1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.26 NOK 98.4

$10.00 NOK 96.0

2.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 22.99

$2.20 NOK 21.12

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 NOK 29.80

$3.13 NOK 30.03

-0.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 NOK 44.54

$4.65 NOK 44.58

-0.22%

Eggs

$4.52 NOK 43.38

$3.08 NOK 29.57

46.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 NOK 124

$12.97 NOK 124

0.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.24 NOK 156

$15.88 NOK 152

2.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.67 NOK 265

$26.97 NOK 259

2.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.83

$3.56 NOK 34.18

-0.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 24.20

$2.61 NOK 25.01

-3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 NOK 29.27

$3.10 NOK 29.72

-1.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 NOK 44.68

$4.78 NOK 45.89

-2.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NOK 19.66

$2.13 NOK 20.47

-3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 NOK 29.20

$3.03 NOK 29.04

0.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 NOK 24.76

$1.55 NOK 14.91

66.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NOK 16.75

$1.83 NOK 17.55

-4.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.11 NOK 145

$15.00 NOK 144

0.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.96 NOK 172

$18.44 NOK 177

-2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 NOK 33.99

$3.11 NOK 29.82

13.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 NOK 39.14

$2.95 NOK 28.31

38.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 43.95

$4.32 NOK 41.40

6.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.1 NOK 663

$72.2 NOK 692

-4.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.37 NOK 147

$5.43 NOK 52.1

183.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 NOK 19.85

$1.00 NOK 9.60

107.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$103 NOK 983

$100 NOK 963

2.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 21.17

$2.15 NOK 20.60

2.79%

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

$34.7K NOK 333.0K

$34.5K NOK 330.6K

0.74%

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

$32.7K NOK 313.8K

$32.7K NOK 313.6K

0.09%

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

$192 NOK 1,842

$190 NOK 1,824

1.00%

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

$42.41 NOK 407

$32.73 NOK 314

29.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 NOK 776

$83.3 NOK 799

-2.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 NOK 535

$49.46 NOK 474

12.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.17 NOK 337

$34.77 NOK 334

1.15%

Cinema Ticket

$19.02 NOK 182

$19.07 NOK 183

-0.26%

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

$314 NOK 3,010

$324 NOK 3,110

-3.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 123.6K

$12.9K NOK 123.7K

-0.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 NOK 1,108

$120 NOK 1,153

-3.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 NOK 560

$60.1 NOK 577

-2.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,030

$104 NOK 997

3.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 NOK 1,510

$161 NOK 1,546

-2.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.3K

$1,230 NOK 11.8K

29.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 NOK 10.9K

$892 NOK 8,556

27.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 NOK 26.8K

$1,855 NOK 17.8K

50.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 NOK 17.0K

$1,556 NOK 14.9K

14.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,005 NOK 57.6K

$6,052 NOK 58.1K

-0.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,223 NOK 50.1K

$3,993 NOK 38.3K

30.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,909 NOK 47.1K

$4,304 NOK 41.3K

14.07%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mandal: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Stavanger and $1,230 in Mandal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 14% 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: $123 in Stavanger vs $121 in Mandal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $468 vs $452 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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 14% 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: $1,595 in Stavanger versus $1,230 in Mandal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,699 per month in Stavanger versus $2,415 in Mandal – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mandal runs roughly 4% 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 12% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.