Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Molde Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Molde

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,202 in Stavanger versus $2,442 in Molde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,642 in Stavanger versus $3,697 in Molde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,082 in Stavanger versus $4,952 in Molde.

Living in Stavanger is roughly 31% more expensive than in Molde, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 134% above, Molde 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.74 NOK 242

$30.59 NOK 288

-15.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.4 NOK 917

$85.8 NOK 808

13.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.15 NOK 152

$15.94 NOK 150

1.32%

Cappuccino

$6.37 NOK 60.0

$5.17 NOK 48.70

23.21%

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

$5.34 NOK 50.3

$3.29 NOK 31.01

62.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 NOK 41.74

$3.58 NOK 33.70

23.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.88 NOK 131

$11.67 NOK 110

18.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.16 NOK 115

$10.52 NOK 99.2

15.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 NOK 23.54

$3.13 NOK 29.46

-20.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 NOK 33.95

$4.23 NOK 39.85

-14.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 NOK 37.32

$4.11 NOK 38.69

-3.65%

Eggs

$5.05 NOK 47.53

$5.24 NOK 49.35

-3.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.10 NOK 142

$18.57 NOK 175

-18.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.22 NOK 162

$16.04 NOK 151

7.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.93 NOK 339

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 NOK 34.96

$3.48 NOK 32.76

6.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 NOK 26.20

$3.28 NOK 30.89

-15.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.49 NOK 32.83

$3.08 NOK 28.97

13.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 NOK 47.51

$4.93 NOK 46.41

2.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 23.68

$2.63 NOK 24.80

-4.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 NOK 29.42

$2.43 NOK 22.88

28.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 NOK 27.44

$2.77 NOK 26.05

5.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 NOK 22.84

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.89 NOK 169

$20.59 NOK 194

-13.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.83 NOK 177

$23.72 NOK 223

-20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 NOK 37.15

$4.17 NOK 39.25

-5.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 NOK 42.45

$8.19 NOK 77.1

-44.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.82 NOK 45.40

$5.20 NOK 48.98

-7.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 NOK 824

$84.8 NOK 798

3.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.37 NOK 60.0

$16.35 NOK 154

-61.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 NOK 16.18

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$106 NOK 1,003

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 21.21

$2.31 NOK 21.75

-2.60%

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

$49.6K NOK 467.5K

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

$42.3K NOK 398.4K

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

$251 NOK 2,362

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

$35.70 NOK 336

$21.65 NOK 204

64.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.6 NOK 788

$84.4 NOK 795

-0.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 NOK 495

$59.7 NOK 563

-12.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.19 NOK 350

Cinema Ticket

$22.57 NOK 213

$18.95 NOK 178

19.10%

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

$330 NOK 3,112

$214 NOK 2,013

54.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NOK 136.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$131 NOK 1,230

$113 NOK 1,060

16.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 NOK 574

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$158 NOK 1,492

$139 NOK 1,305

14.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$210 NOK 1,977

$162 NOK 1,529

29.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 NOK 16.1K

$1,288 NOK 12.1K

32.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 NOK 13.1K

$981 NOK 9,241

41.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 NOK 26.3K

$1,899 NOK 17.9K

47.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 NOK 19.6K

$1,678 NOK 15.8K

24.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,179 NOK 58.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,479 NOK 51.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,006 NOK 47.2K

$4,356 NOK 41.0K

14.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

4.8

9.79%

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

Last update for Stavanger: September 14, 2026

Last update for Molde: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,708 in Stavanger and $1,288 in Molde. 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: $97.0 in Stavanger vs $86.0 in Molde for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $532 vs $429 per month, with Molde 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 Molde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molde is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 31% 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: $1,708 in Stavanger versus $1,288 in Molde. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $330 in Stavanger versus $214 in Molde. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Stavanger. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Molde is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Molde 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 Molde 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 Molde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.