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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,744 per month in Stavanger vs $2,496 in Sandnes, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,187 per month in Stavanger vs $3,891 in Sandnes, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,629 per month in Stavanger vs $5,286 in Sandnes, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 10% more than Sandnes, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Stavanger and Sandnes sit above the global median – Stavanger by 105%, Sandnes by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.49 NOK 237

$28.26 NOK 263

-9.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,122

$120 NOK 1,115

0.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.31 NOK 142

$13.28 NOK 123

15.29%

Cappuccino

$5.17 NOK 48.03

$5.23 NOK 48.55

-1.15%

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

$4.04 NOK 37.57

$3.60 NOK 33.41

12.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.20

$2.85 NOK 26.48

21.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.15 NOK 104

$10.07 NOK 93.5

10.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.27 NOK 95.4

$9.93 NOK 92.3

3.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 NOK 22.73

$2.16 NOK 20.11

13.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 NOK 28.03

$3.29 NOK 30.56

-8.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 NOK 42.38

$3.22 NOK 29.94

41.61%

Eggs

$4.46 NOK 41.46

$4.26 NOK 39.59

4.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.11 NOK 122

$12.43 NOK 115

5.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.72 NOK 155

$14.26 NOK 132

17.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.15 NOK 252

$35.26 NOK 328

-23.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.26

$3.50 NOK 32.48

2.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 23.80

$2.60 NOK 24.19

-1.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 NOK 27.72

$2.95 NOK 27.44

1.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 NOK 42.83

$4.80 NOK 44.58

-3.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NOK 19.42

$2.23 NOK 20.71

-6.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 NOK 28.70

$2.29 NOK 21.31

34.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 NOK 23.27

$2.78 NOK 25.87

-10.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 NOK 16.81

$1.90 NOK 17.61

-4.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.37 NOK 143

$14.93 NOK 139

2.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.14 NOK 178

$17.10 NOK 159

11.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.63 NOK 33.70

$3.26 NOK 30.29

11.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 NOK 38.39

$4.16 NOK 38.62

-0.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.66 NOK 43.31

$4.20 NOK 39.00

10.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.1 NOK 623

$71.6 NOK 665

-6.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 NOK 139

$15.17 NOK 141

-1.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 NOK 19.70

$2.08 NOK 19.29

1.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.8 NOK 927

$47.21 NOK 439

111.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 NOK 19.96

$2.12 NOK 19.74

1.42%

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

$34.0K NOK 315.8K

$34.1K NOK 316.8K

-0.33%

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

$32.8K NOK 304.4K

$33.4K NOK 310.5K

-1.96%

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

$191 NOK 1,778

$216 NOK 2,004

-11.29%

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

$42.73 NOK 397

$44.16 NOK 410

-3.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.9 NOK 761

$78.4 NOK 728

4.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 NOK 519

$49.79 NOK 463

12.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.64 NOK 331

$50.1 NOK 465

-28.86%

Cinema Ticket

$19.51 NOK 181

$18.17 NOK 169

7.37%

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

$318 NOK 2,957

$319 NOK 2,966

-0.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NOK 118.6K

$8,931 NOK 83.0K

42.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 NOK 1,107

$118 NOK 1,093

1.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 NOK 542

$58.0 NOK 538

0.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NOK 981

$104 NOK 964

1.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 NOK 1,460

$158 NOK 1,468

-0.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 NOK 14.9K

$1,273 NOK 11.8K

25.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 NOK 10.4K

$880 NOK 8,171

26.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,756 NOK 25.6K

$1,683 NOK 15.6K

63.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 NOK 16.1K

$1,469 NOK 13.6K

18.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,190 NOK 57.5K

$7,183 NOK 66.7K

-13.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,435 NOK 50.5K

$4,139 NOK 38.4K

31.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,992 NOK 46.4K

$3,827 NOK 35.5K

30.47%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sandnes: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Stavanger versus $1,273 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 30% 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 $121 in Stavanger versus $120 in Sandnes. Groceries tell a different story – $472 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 10%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,117 per month in Stavanger and $3,745 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 $318 per month in Stavanger and $319 in Sandnes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% 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 $2,744 in Stavanger and $2,496 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.