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: $2,741 in Stavanger versus $2,542 in Tonsberg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,135 in Stavanger versus $3,649 in Tonsberg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,530 in Stavanger versus $4,756 in Tonsberg.

Living in Stavanger is roughly 8% more expensive than Tonsberg, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 105% above, Tonsberg 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.17 NOK 234

$25.74 NOK 239

-2.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,128

$101 NOK 940

19.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.07 NOK 140

$13.93 NOK 130

8.18%

Cappuccino

$4.98 NOK 46.28

$4.88 NOK 45.42

2.05%

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

$4.03 NOK 37.46

$5.42 NOK 50.4

-25.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.18

$4.99 NOK 46.45

-32.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.18 NOK 104

$10.14 NOK 94.3

10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.23 NOK 95.2

$9.39 NOK 87.4

8.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 NOK 22.02

$2.28 NOK 21.18

3.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 NOK 28.22

$3.26 NOK 30.33

-7.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 NOK 41.64

$3.30 NOK 30.71

35.76%

Eggs

$4.35 NOK 40.46

$4.27 NOK 39.74

1.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 NOK 123

$12.26 NOK 114

8.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.31 NOK 152

$14.50 NOK 135

12.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.77 NOK 258

$28.42 NOK 264

-2.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 NOK 32.92

$3.61 NOK 33.55

-1.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 NOK 24.32

$2.45 NOK 22.83

6.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 NOK 27.90

$3.28 NOK 30.46

-8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 NOK 43.33

$4.43 NOK 41.20

5.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 NOK 19.73

$2.39 NOK 22.21

-11.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 NOK 27.59

$2.55 NOK 23.69

16.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 NOK 23.27

$2.88 NOK 26.75

-13.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NOK 16.39

$1.86 NOK 17.28

-5.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 NOK 139

$15.24 NOK 142

-1.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 NOK 176

$16.36 NOK 152

15.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 33.68

$3.35 NOK 31.15

8.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 NOK 37.00

$4.16 NOK 38.65

-4.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.45 NOK 41.34

$4.29 NOK 39.88

3.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.7 NOK 630

$73.0 NOK 679

-7.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.12 NOK 141

$10.28 NOK 95.6

47.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 NOK 20.17

$1.40 NOK 12.97

55.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$101 NOK 942

$47.03 NOK 437

115.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 NOK 19.91

$1.98 NOK 18.41

8.08%

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

$34.2K NOK 317.7K

$35.1K NOK 326.8K

-2.76%

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

$32.6K NOK 303.0K

$38.4K NOK 356.7K

-15.06%

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

$193 NOK 1,796

$239 NOK 2,226

-19.33%

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

$42.05 NOK 391

$38.05 NOK 354

10.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.6 NOK 768

$55.8 NOK 519

47.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 NOK 527

$49.84 NOK 464

13.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.06 NOK 335

$35.95 NOK 334

0.31%

Cinema Ticket

$19.57 NOK 182

$16.68 NOK 155

17.33%

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

$322 NOK 2,992

$286 NOK 2,659

12.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K NOK 122.8K

$9,999 NOK 93.0K

32.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 NOK 1,116

$94.9 NOK 882

26.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 NOK 556

$52.7 NOK 490

13.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NOK 973

$108 NOK 1,005

-3.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,473

$152 NOK 1,413

4.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,639 NOK 15.2K

$1,210 NOK 11.3K

35.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,140 NOK 10.6K

$924 NOK 8,595

23.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,764 NOK 25.7K

$1,426 NOK 13.3K

93.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 NOK 16.7K

$1,224 NOK 11.4K

46.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,956 NOK 55.4K

$5,488 NOK 51.0K

8.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,337 NOK 49.6K

$4,639 NOK 43.1K

15.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,925 NOK 45.8K

$4,643 NOK 43.2K

6.07%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,639 in Stavanger and $1,210 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 $470 vs $452 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, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% 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: $1,639 in Stavanger versus $1,210 in Tonsberg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,741 per month in Stavanger versus $2,542 in Tonsberg – a 8% 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 8% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.