Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Sandnes Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Sandnes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,179 per month in Stavanger vs $2,699 in Sandnes, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,668 per month in Stavanger vs $4,203 in Sandnes, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,158 per month in Stavanger vs $5,708 in Sandnes, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 18% more than Sandnes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Stavanger and Sandnes sit above the global median – Stavanger by 131%, Sandnes by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.10 NOK 242

$25.98 NOK 241

0.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 NOK 929

$97.6 NOK 906

2.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.98 NOK 148

$15.53 NOK 144

2.90%

Cappuccino

$6.53 NOK 60.7

$5.86 NOK 54.4

11.43%

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

$5.57 NOK 51.7

$3.53 NOK 32.73

57.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 NOK 42.21

$2.94 NOK 27.29

54.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.62 NOK 126

$13.88 NOK 129

-1.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.09 NOK 112

$12.47 NOK 116

-3.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 NOK 23.11

$2.43 NOK 22.52

2.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 NOK 33.46

$3.58 NOK 33.27

0.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 NOK 36.73

$2.55 NOK 23.66

55.29%

Eggs

$4.97 NOK 46.18

$4.80 NOK 44.59

3.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.64 NOK 136

$13.82 NOK 128

5.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.53 NOK 163

$16.35 NOK 152

7.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.75 NOK 332

$32.90 NOK 305

8.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 NOK 34.37

$3.64 NOK 33.84

1.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 NOK 26.53

$2.81 NOK 26.08

1.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.20

$3.18 NOK 29.56

12.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.90 NOK 45.45

$4.97 NOK 46.12

-1.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.18

$2.53 NOK 23.52

2.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 NOK 29.42

$2.34 NOK 21.74

35.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.90 NOK 26.95

$2.78 NOK 25.80

4.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 NOK 21.46

$2.41 NOK 22.34

-4.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.65 NOK 164

$16.68 NOK 155

5.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.17 NOK 178

$17.14 NOK 159

11.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 NOK 35.74

$3.28 NOK 30.49

17.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 NOK 42.76

$4.39 NOK 40.74

5.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.89 NOK 45.43

$4.85 NOK 45.00

0.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 NOK 809

$86.3 NOK 801

0.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 NOK 60.1

$6.41 NOK 59.5

1.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 NOK 16.56

$1.80 NOK 16.75

-1.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$105 NOK 976

$48.95 NOK 454

114.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 NOK 21.58

$2.25 NOK 20.85

3.11%

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

$48.7K NOK 452.4K

$45.1K NOK 418.3K

8.14%

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

$41.8K NOK 388.4K

$39.0K NOK 361.9K

7.32%

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

$257 NOK 2,389

$256 NOK 2,378

0.45%

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

$35.59 NOK 330

$35.65 NOK 331

-0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.9 NOK 788

$83.4 NOK 775

1.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 NOK 489

$46.60 NOK 433

12.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.90 NOK 343

$54.0 NOK 501

-31.63%

Cinema Ticket

$22.33 NOK 207

$19.63 NOK 182

13.75%

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

$325 NOK 3,018

$291 NOK 2,705

11.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K NOK 133.5K

$9,807 NOK 91.1K

46.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$126 NOK 1,169

$130 NOK 1,205

-2.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 NOK 564

$60.3 NOK 560

0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 NOK 1,440

$121 NOK 1,120

28.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 NOK 1,886

$193 NOK 1,795

5.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 NOK 16.2K

$1,339 NOK 12.4K

30.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 NOK 12.9K

$966 NOK 8,967

43.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,840 NOK 26.4K

$2,029 NOK 18.8K

39.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 NOK 19.0K

$1,824 NOK 16.9K

12.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,241 NOK 57.9K

$7,133 NOK 66.2K

-12.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,530 NOK 51.3K

$4,060 NOK 37.7K

36.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,111 NOK 47.5K

$3,736 NOK 34.7K

36.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

5.22

0.96%

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

Last update for Stavanger: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sandnes: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,746 in Stavanger versus $1,339 in Sandnes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Stavanger, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Stavanger versus $98.0 in Sandnes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $530 vs $496 – making Sandnes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Sandnes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,768 per month in Stavanger and $4,049 in Sandnes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sandnes, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $325 per month in Stavanger and $291 in Sandnes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Stavanger, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,179 in Stavanger and $2,699 in Sandnes. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Sandnes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sandnes. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stavanger makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.