Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and San Rafael, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and San Rafael, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,699 in Stavanger versus $4,496 in San Rafael, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,150 in Stavanger versus $5,703 in San Rafael, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,601 in Stavanger versus $6,911 in San Rafael, CA.

Living in Stavanger costs roughly 40% less than in San Rafael, CA, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 103% above, San Rafael, CA 238% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.22 NOK 239

$22.79 $22.79

10.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,167

$63.9 $63.9

92.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.08 NOK 143

$10.98 $10.98

37.34%

Cappuccino

$5.02 NOK 47.61

$5.77 $5.77

-13.00%

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

$3.89 NOK 36.85

$2.63 $2.63

47.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 NOK 32.26

$2.49 $2.49

36.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 NOK 104

$6.10 $6.10

80.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.26 NOK 97.3

$9.76 $9.76

5.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 22.72

$1.24 $1.24

93.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 NOK 29.46

$4.09 $4.09

-23.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 NOK 44.03

$6.72 $6.72

-30.95%

Eggs

$4.52 NOK 42.88

$4.57 $4.57

-1.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 NOK 123

$15.10 $15.10

-14.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.24 NOK 154

$12.80 $12.80

26.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.67 NOK 262

$18.25 $18.25

51.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.45

$4.78 $4.78

-26.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 23.92

$2.81 $2.81

-10.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 NOK 28.94

$6.21 $6.21

-50.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 NOK 44.17

$8.69 $8.69

-46.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NOK 19.44

$3.77 $3.77

-45.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 NOK 28.86

$3.92 $3.92

-22.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 NOK 24.47

$2.41 $2.41

7.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NOK 16.56

$2.82 $2.82

-37.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.11 NOK 143

$10.92 $10.92

38.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.96 NOK 170

$13.69 $13.69

31.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 NOK 33.60

$2.18 $2.18

62.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 NOK 38.69

$3.37 $3.37

21.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 43.44

$1.48 $1.48

209.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.1 NOK 656

$29.52 $29.52

134.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.37 NOK 146

$3.59 $3.59

328.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 NOK 19.62

$1.61 $1.61

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$103 NOK 972

$29.10 $29.10

252.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 20.92

$1.23 $1.23

79.67%

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

$34.7K NOK 329.2K

$27.4K $27.4K

26.92%

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

$32.7K NOK 310.2K

$26.7K $26.7K

22.65%

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

$192 NOK 1,821

$186 $186

3.24%

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

$42.41 NOK 402

$50.4 $50.4

-15.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 NOK 767

$59.9 $59.9

35.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 NOK 529

$249 $249

-77.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.17 NOK 333

$40.40 $40.40

-12.95%

Cinema Ticket

$19.02 NOK 180

$14.22 $14.22

33.76%

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

$314 NOK 2,975

$1,989 $1,989

-84.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 122.1K

$23.8K $23.8K

-45.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 NOK 1,096

$41.19 $41.19

180.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 NOK 553

$38.95 $38.95

49.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,018

$104 $104

2.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 NOK 1,493

$121 $121

29.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

$3,366 $3,366

-52.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 NOK 10.8K

$2,805 $2,805

-59.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 NOK 26.5K

$4,016 $4,016

-30.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 NOK 16.9K

$3,294 $3,294

-46.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,005 NOK 56.9K

$7,435 $7,435

-19.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,223 NOK 49.5K

$5,308 $5,308

-1.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,909 NOK 46.6K

$6,247 $6,247

-21.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

6.32

-28.64%

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

Last update for Stavanger: July 26, 2026

Last update for San Rafael, CA: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Stavanger and $3,366 in San Rafael, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Rafael, CA pays 27% 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 $64.0 in San Rafael, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $468 vs $479, with Stavanger 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 San Rafael, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stavanger wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in San Rafael, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Stavanger the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in San Rafael, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,595 in Stavanger versus $3,366 in San Rafael, CA. 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 $4,496 in San Rafael, CA – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stavanger runs roughly 134% less than in San Rafael, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

Both work as nomad bases, but Stavanger delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,699 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Stavanger hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Stavanger and San Rafael, CA 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 Stavanger gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in San Rafael, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.