Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Skien Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Skien

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,744 per month in Stavanger vs $2,282 in Skien, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,187 per month in Stavanger vs $3,202 in Skien, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,629 per month in Stavanger vs $4,122 in Skien, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 20% more than Skien, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Stavanger and Skien sit above the global median – Stavanger by 105%, Skien by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.49 NOK 237

$28.96 NOK 269

-11.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,122

$101 NOK 935

19.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.31 NOK 142

$13.26 NOK 123

15.46%

Cappuccino

$5.17 NOK 48.03

$4.88 NOK 45.35

5.94%

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

$4.04 NOK 37.57

$2.47 NOK 22.94

63.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.20

$2.19 NOK 20.38

58.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.15 NOK 104

$9.05 NOK 84.0

23.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.27 NOK 95.4

$9.67 NOK 89.8

6.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 NOK 22.73

$2.02 NOK 18.73

21.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 NOK 28.03

$3.30 NOK 30.67

-8.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 NOK 42.38

$3.15 NOK 29.30

44.76%

Eggs

$4.46 NOK 41.46

$4.20 NOK 39.01

6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.11 NOK 122

$11.36 NOK 106

15.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.72 NOK 155

$14.22 NOK 132

17.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.15 NOK 252

$25.44 NOK 236

6.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.26

$3.76 NOK 34.89

-4.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 23.80

$2.32 NOK 21.55

10.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 NOK 27.72

$3.30 NOK 30.63

-9.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 NOK 42.83

$4.02 NOK 37.36

14.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NOK 19.42

$2.29 NOK 21.26

-8.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 NOK 28.70

$2.16 NOK 20.07

43.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 NOK 23.27

$2.94 NOK 27.36

-14.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 NOK 16.81

$1.89 NOK 17.55

-4.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.37 NOK 143

$18.86 NOK 175

-18.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.14 NOK 178

$15.87 NOK 147

20.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.63 NOK 33.70

$3.33 NOK 30.97

9.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 NOK 38.39

$3.95 NOK 36.67

4.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.66 NOK 43.31

$2.69 NOK 25.02

73.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.1 NOK 623

$44.33 NOK 412

51.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 NOK 139

$36.08 NOK 335

-58.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 NOK 19.70

$1.46 NOK 13.57

45.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.8 NOK 927

$99.7 NOK 926

0.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 NOK 19.96

$2.09 NOK 19.41

2.87%

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

$34.0K NOK 315.8K

$25.7K NOK 238.9K

32.16%

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

$32.8K NOK 304.4K

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

-8.37%

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

$191 NOK 1,778

$96.6 NOK 897

98.12%

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

$42.73 NOK 397

$37.34 NOK 347

14.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.9 NOK 761

$38.51 NOK 358

112.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 NOK 519

$38.00 NOK 353

46.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.64 NOK 331

$34.76 NOK 323

2.53%

Cinema Ticket

$19.51 NOK 181

$14.39 NOK 134

35.58%

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

$318 NOK 2,957

$312 NOK 2,900

1.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NOK 118.6K

$10.1K NOK 93.9K

26.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 NOK 1,107

$40.85 NOK 380

191.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 NOK 542

$35.21 NOK 327

65.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NOK 981

$92.8 NOK 862

13.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 NOK 1,460

$153 NOK 1,421

2.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 NOK 14.9K

$961 NOK 8,931

66.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 NOK 10.4K

$1,000 NOK 9,291

11.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,756 NOK 25.6K

$1,101 NOK 10.2K

150.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 NOK 16.1K

$902 NOK 8,381

92.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,190 NOK 57.5K

$3,561 NOK 33.1K

73.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,435 NOK 50.5K

$3,271 NOK 30.4K

66.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,992 NOK 46.4K

$4,269 NOK 39.7K

16.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

3.8

18.68%

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

Last update for Stavanger: May 30, 2026

Last update for Skien: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Stavanger versus $961 in Skien. 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 17% 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 $101 in Skien. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $472 vs $432 – making Skien 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 Skien: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $3,422 in Skien. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $121 in Stavanger and $101 in Skien. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,744 in Stavanger and $2,282 in Skien. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Skien, where all-in costs run around $2,282, than in Stavanger at $2,744. In Skien it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stavanger it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skien – 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 Skien. 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.