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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,179 per month in Stavanger vs $2,357 in Skien, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,668 per month in Stavanger vs $3,341 in Skien, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,158 per month in Stavanger vs $4,326 in Skien, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 35% more than Skien, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Stavanger and Skien sit above the global median – Stavanger by 131%, Skien by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.10 NOK 242

$21.53 NOK 200

21.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 NOK 929

$106 NOK 989

-6.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.98 NOK 148

$15.84 NOK 147

0.88%

Cappuccino

$6.53 NOK 60.7

$5.47 NOK 50.8

19.38%

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

$5.57 NOK 51.7

$4.23 NOK 39.25

31.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 NOK 42.21

$3.20 NOK 29.70

42.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.62 NOK 126

$12.01 NOK 112

13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.09 NOK 112

$12.63 NOK 117

-4.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 NOK 23.11

$2.07 NOK 19.24

20.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 NOK 33.46

$3.95 NOK 36.69

-8.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 NOK 36.73

$4.67 NOK 43.37

-15.20%

Eggs

$4.97 NOK 46.18

$5.80 NOK 53.8

-14.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.64 NOK 136

$13.58 NOK 126

7.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.53 NOK 163

$15.54 NOK 144

12.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.75 NOK 332

$22.90 NOK 213

56.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 NOK 34.37

$3.40 NOK 31.61

8.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 NOK 26.53

$2.76 NOK 25.60

3.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.20

$3.46 NOK 32.11

3.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.90 NOK 45.45

$6.05 NOK 56.2

-19.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.18

$2.38 NOK 22.06

9.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 NOK 29.42

$2.99 NOK 27.75

6.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.90 NOK 26.95

$3.06 NOK 28.42

-5.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 NOK 21.46

$2.45 NOK 22.78

-5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.65 NOK 164

$19.12 NOK 177

-7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.17 NOK 178

$16.30 NOK 151

17.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 NOK 35.74

$3.52 NOK 32.67

9.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 NOK 42.76

$4.44 NOK 41.20

3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.89 NOK 45.43

$3.47 NOK 32.20

40.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 NOK 809

$48.24 NOK 448

80.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 NOK 60.1

$11.14 NOK 103

-41.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 NOK 16.56

$1.91 NOK 17.75

-6.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$105 NOK 976

$72.6 NOK 674

44.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 NOK 21.58

$2.25 NOK 20.89

3.11%

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

$48.7K NOK 452.4K

$48.5K NOK 450.7K

0.37%

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

$41.8K NOK 388.4K

$43.9K NOK 407.8K

-4.78%

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

$257 NOK 2,389

$97.8 NOK 908

163.06%

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

$35.59 NOK 330

$33.45 NOK 311

6.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.9 NOK 788

$58.5 NOK 543

45.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 NOK 489

$41.06 NOK 381

28.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.90 NOK 343

Cinema Ticket

$22.33 NOK 207

$15.30 NOK 142

45.95%

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

$325 NOK 3,018

$244 NOK 2,266

33.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K NOK 133.5K

$16.0K NOK 148.8K

-10.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$126 NOK 1,169

$63.0 NOK 585

100.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 NOK 564

$60.9 NOK 565

-0.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 NOK 1,440

$90.7 NOK 842

70.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 NOK 1,886

$161 NOK 1,495

26.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 NOK 16.2K

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

61.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 NOK 12.9K

$987 NOK 9,168

40.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,840 NOK 26.4K

$1,050 NOK 9,751

170.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 NOK 19.0K

$971 NOK 9,017

110.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,241 NOK 57.9K

$3,603 NOK 33.5K

73.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,530 NOK 51.3K

$3,179 NOK 29.5K

73.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,111 NOK 47.5K

$4,293 NOK 39.9K

19.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

4.37

20.59%

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

Last update for Stavanger: August 31, 2026

Last update for Skien: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,746 in Stavanger versus $1,080 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 19% 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 $106 in Skien. Groceries tell a different story – $530 in Stavanger vs $481 in Skien – so Skien 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 Skien: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 35%, 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 $4,768 per month in Stavanger and $3,536 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 $100 in Stavanger and $106 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 $3,179 in Stavanger and $2,357 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 $2,357, than in Stavanger at $3,179. 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.