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: $2,689 in Stavanger versus $4,372 in San Rafael, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,070 in Stavanger versus $5,618 in San Rafael, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,451 in Stavanger versus $6,865 in San Rafael, CA.

Living in Stavanger costs roughly 38% less than in San Rafael, CA, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 100% above, San Rafael, CA 225% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.39 NOK 241

$22.36 $22.36

13.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,138

$65.2 $65.2

83.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.31 NOK 145

$10.94 $10.94

39.95%

Cappuccino

$5.03 NOK 47.77

$5.75 $5.75

-12.52%

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

$3.88 NOK 36.83

$2.60 $2.60

49.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.89

$2.43 $2.43

42.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.98 NOK 104

$6.14 $6.14

78.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.21 NOK 96.9

$9.31 $9.31

9.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 NOK 21.93

$1.24 $1.24

86.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 NOK 29.59

$3.94 $3.94

-20.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 NOK 43.48

$6.58 $6.58

-30.40%

Eggs

$4.48 NOK 42.52

$4.69 $4.69

-4.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 NOK 122

$15.43 $15.43

-16.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.73 NOK 159

$12.89 $12.89

29.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.83 NOK 264

$18.50 $18.50

50.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 33.01

$4.92 $4.92

-29.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 NOK 25.03

$2.85 $2.85

-7.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 NOK 29.53

$6.09 $6.09

-48.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 NOK 44.37

$8.41 $8.41

-44.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 NOK 19.77

$3.88 $3.88

-46.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 NOK 29.27

$3.88 $3.88

-20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 NOK 23.47

$2.39 $2.39

3.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.38

$2.84 $2.84

-35.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 NOK 142

$10.79 $10.79

38.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.46 NOK 175

$13.65 $13.65

35.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 NOK 34.89

$2.16 $2.16

70.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 NOK 38.90

$3.34 $3.34

22.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 43.47

$1.52 $1.52

201.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.6 NOK 651

$30.18 $30.18

127.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.31 NOK 145

$3.46 $3.46

342.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 NOK 19.57

$1.58 $1.58

30.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$100 NOK 953

$29.26 $29.26

242.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 20.01

$1.23 $1.23

71.54%

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

$34.4K NOK 326.1K

$26.9K $26.9K

27.64%

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

$32.4K NOK 307.3K

$27.2K $27.2K

18.90%

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

$190 NOK 1,806

$185 $185

2.59%

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

$42.20 NOK 401

$51.4 $51.4

-17.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.1 NOK 789

$61.5 $61.5

35.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 NOK 531

$248 $248

-77.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.16 NOK 334

$40.79 $40.79

-13.80%

Cinema Ticket

$19.57 NOK 186

$14.54 $14.54

34.59%

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

$321 NOK 3,048

$2,018 $2,018

-84.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NOK 123.1K

$23.0K $23.0K

-43.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 NOK 1,098

$41.60 $41.60

178.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 NOK 550

$38.54 $38.54

50.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,017

$101 $101

5.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 NOK 1,519

$123 $123

30.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

$3,354 $3,354

-52.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 NOK 10.7K

$2,815 $2,815

-60.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,732 NOK 25.9K

$4,023 $4,023

-32.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 NOK 16.8K

$3,317 $3,317

-46.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,036 NOK 57.3K

$7,629 $7,629

-20.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,366 NOK 50.9K

$5,360 $5,360

0.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,104 NOK 48.4K

$5,430 $5,430

-6.00%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for San Rafael, CA: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Stavanger and $3,354 in San Rafael, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Rafael, CA pays 6% 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 $65.0 in San Rafael, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $473 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 63% 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, San Rafael, CA earns 6% less. 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 $3,354 in San Rafael, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,689 per month in Stavanger versus $4,372 in San Rafael, CA – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stavanger runs roughly 127% 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 $2,689 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 63% less than in San Rafael, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.