Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Tonsberg Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Tonsberg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,744 in Stavanger versus $2,498 in Tonsberg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,187 in Stavanger versus $3,682 in Tonsberg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,629 in Stavanger versus $4,866 in Tonsberg.

Living in Stavanger is roughly 10% more expensive than Tonsberg, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 105% above, Tonsberg 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.49 NOK 241

$25.57 NOK 242

-0.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,142

$101 NOK 955

19.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.31 NOK 145

$13.53 NOK 128

13.16%

Cappuccino

$5.17 NOK 48.88

$4.83 NOK 45.65

7.04%

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

$4.04 NOK 38.23

$5.42 NOK 51.2

-25.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.77

$4.97 NOK 46.94

-30.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.15 NOK 105

$10.21 NOK 96.5

9.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.27 NOK 97.1

$9.46 NOK 89.5

8.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 NOK 23.13

$2.22 NOK 20.96

10.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 NOK 28.53

$3.30 NOK 31.24

-8.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 NOK 43.13

$3.18 NOK 30.10

43.40%

Eggs

$4.46 NOK 42.19

$4.27 NOK 40.36

4.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.11 NOK 124

$11.82 NOK 112

10.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.72 NOK 158

$14.84 NOK 140

12.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.15 NOK 257

$28.32 NOK 268

-4.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.85

$3.42 NOK 32.36

4.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 24.22

$2.39 NOK 22.58

7.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 NOK 28.21

$3.43 NOK 32.41

-13.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 NOK 43.59

$4.52 NOK 42.77

1.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NOK 19.76

$2.47 NOK 23.33

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 NOK 29.21

$2.57 NOK 24.30

20.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 NOK 23.68

$2.80 NOK 26.43

-10.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 NOK 17.11

$1.83 NOK 17.32

-1.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.37 NOK 145

$14.98 NOK 142

2.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.14 NOK 181

$17.98 NOK 170

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.63 NOK 34.29

$3.45 NOK 32.66

5.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 NOK 39.06

$4.08 NOK 38.56

1.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.66 NOK 44.07

$4.16 NOK 39.34

12.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.1 NOK 634

$72.2 NOK 683

-7.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 NOK 141

$10.26 NOK 97.0

45.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 NOK 20.05

$1.44 NOK 13.64

47.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.8 NOK 943

$46.58 NOK 440

114.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 NOK 20.31

$2.09 NOK 19.79

2.87%

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

$34.0K NOK 321.3K

$36.1K NOK 341.6K

-5.93%

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

$32.8K NOK 309.8K

$37.9K NOK 358.5K

-13.58%

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

$191 NOK 1,809

$243 NOK 2,295

-21.14%

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

$42.73 NOK 404

$39.09 NOK 370

9.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.9 NOK 774

$55.2 NOK 522

48.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 NOK 528

$49.50 NOK 468

12.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.64 NOK 337

$36.01 NOK 340

-1.03%

Cinema Ticket

$19.51 NOK 184

$16.61 NOK 157

17.46%

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

$318 NOK 3,009

$283 NOK 2,678

12.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NOK 120.7K

$10.0K NOK 94.8K

27.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 NOK 1,126

$95.5 NOK 903

24.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 NOK 551

$51.4 NOK 486

13.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NOK 998

$106 NOK 1,005

-0.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 NOK 1,486

$151 NOK 1,430

3.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 NOK 15.2K

$1,219 NOK 11.5K

31.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 NOK 10.5K

$954 NOK 9,015

16.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,756 NOK 26.1K

$1,443 NOK 13.6K

91.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 NOK 16.4K

$1,222 NOK 11.6K

42.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,190 NOK 58.5K

$5,966 NOK 56.4K

3.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,435 NOK 51.4K

$4,341 NOK 41.0K

25.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,992 NOK 47.2K

$4,692 NOK 44.4K

6.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.38

2.97%

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

Last update for Stavanger: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Stavanger and $1,219 in Tonsberg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $121 in Stavanger vs $101 in Tonsberg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $472 vs $455 per month, with Tonsberg cheaper across the board.

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 Tonsberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tonsberg is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Stavanger pays 6% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Stavanger versus $1,219 in Tonsberg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,744 per month in Stavanger versus $2,498 in Tonsberg – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tonsberg runs roughly 8% less than in Stavanger. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Tonsberg is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Tonsberg is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Stavanger, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Stavanger and Tonsberg are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Tonsberg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.