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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,773 per month in Stavanger vs $2,541 in Sandnes, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,121 per month in Stavanger vs $3,940 in Sandnes, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,469 per month in Stavanger vs $5,340 in Sandnes, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 9% more than Sandnes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Stavanger and Sandnes sit above the global median – Stavanger by 108%, Sandnes by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.15 NOK 243

$28.47 NOK 275

-11.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 NOK 1,193

$122 NOK 1,178

1.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.47 NOK 149

$13.21 NOK 127

17.11%

Cappuccino

$5.09 NOK 49.08

$5.23 NOK 50.4

-2.68%

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

$3.97 NOK 38.27

$3.50 NOK 33.74

13.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 NOK 32.99

$2.95 NOK 28.42

15.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.30 NOK 109

$10.20 NOK 98.3

10.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.04 NOK 96.8

$10.03 NOK 96.7

0.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 NOK 23.46

$2.11 NOK 20.32

15.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 NOK 29.28

$3.42 NOK 33.00

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 NOK 43.38

$3.21 NOK 30.96

40.19%

Eggs

$4.44 NOK 42.80

$4.26 NOK 41.12

4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.96 NOK 125

$12.53 NOK 121

3.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.11 NOK 155

$13.98 NOK 135

15.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.22 NOK 262

$36.26 NOK 350

-24.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 NOK 33.48

$3.61 NOK 34.82

-3.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 NOK 24.45

$2.56 NOK 24.73

-0.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NOK 29.92

$3.06 NOK 29.51

1.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 NOK 45.89

$4.72 NOK 45.53

0.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 NOK 20.79

$2.19 NOK 21.15

-1.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 NOK 29.77

$2.26 NOK 21.80

36.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 NOK 25.12

$2.80 NOK 26.97

-6.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 NOK 16.78

$1.89 NOK 18.26

-7.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.94 NOK 144

$15.08 NOK 145

-0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.99 NOK 173

$16.15 NOK 156

11.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 NOK 33.68

$3.19 NOK 30.78

9.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 NOK 39.93

$4.01 NOK 38.64

3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.67 NOK 45.02

$4.19 NOK 40.41

11.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.4 NOK 660

$69.8 NOK 673

-1.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 NOK 145

$14.93 NOK 144

0.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 NOK 20.77

$2.05 NOK 19.80

4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$101 NOK 976

$46.06 NOK 444

119.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 21.00

$2.11 NOK 20.36

3.32%

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

$34.5K NOK 332.5K

$35.0K NOK 337.8K

-1.55%

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

$33.2K NOK 319.8K

$32.3K NOK 311.8K

2.58%

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

$191 NOK 1,842

$223 NOK 2,148

-14.25%

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

$43.05 NOK 415

$43.73 NOK 422

-1.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.9 NOK 790

$78.8 NOK 760

4.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 NOK 540

$50.2 NOK 484

11.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.99 NOK 337

$50.8 NOK 489

-31.05%

Cinema Ticket

$19.39 NOK 187

$18.46 NOK 178

5.04%

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

$315 NOK 3,038

$322 NOK 3,104

-2.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NOK 123.3K

$9,185 NOK 88.6K

39.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 NOK 1,152

$120 NOK 1,157

-0.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 NOK 576

$59.8 NOK 577

-0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,029

$104 NOK 1,002

2.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,552

$158 NOK 1,521

2.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 NOK 15.6K

$1,260 NOK 12.1K

28.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 NOK 10.9K

$852 NOK 8,211

33.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,719 NOK 26.2K

$1,690 NOK 16.3K

60.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 NOK 16.8K

$1,465 NOK 14.1K

18.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,982 NOK 57.7K

$6,886 NOK 66.4K

-13.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,156 NOK 49.7K

$3,934 NOK 37.9K

31.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,945 NOK 47.7K

$3,554 NOK 34.3K

39.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.4

2.50%

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

Last update for Stavanger: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sandnes: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,617 in Stavanger versus $1,260 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 39% 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 $124 in Stavanger versus $122 in Sandnes. Groceries tell a different story – $466 in Stavanger vs $472 in Sandnes – so Stavanger wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,159 per month in Stavanger and $3,811 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 $315 per month in Stavanger and $322 in Sandnes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Stavanger – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,773 in Stavanger and $2,541 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.