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: $3,179 in Stavanger versus $2,702 in Tonsberg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,668 in Stavanger versus $3,937 in Tonsberg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,158 in Stavanger versus $5,172 in Tonsberg.

Living in Stavanger is roughly 18% more expensive than in Tonsberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 131% above, Tonsberg 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.10 NOK 243

$20.99 NOK 195

24.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 NOK 931

$107 NOK 997

-6.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.98 NOK 149

$15.96 NOK 148

0.13%

Cappuccino

$6.53 NOK 60.8

$5.55 NOK 51.6

17.66%

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

$5.57 NOK 51.9

$5.73 NOK 53.3

-2.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 NOK 42.31

$5.43 NOK 50.5

-16.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.62 NOK 127

$11.96 NOK 111

13.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.09 NOK 113

$10.77 NOK 100

12.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 NOK 23.16

$2.28 NOK 21.21

9.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 NOK 33.54

$3.58 NOK 33.33

0.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 NOK 36.82

$4.42 NOK 41.17

-10.41%

Eggs

$4.97 NOK 46.28

$4.87 NOK 45.36

2.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.64 NOK 136

$11.56 NOK 108

26.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.53 NOK 163

$15.09 NOK 140

16.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.75 NOK 333

$33.62 NOK 313

6.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 NOK 34.45

$3.03 NOK 28.19

22.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 NOK 26.59

$2.35 NOK 21.87

21.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.28

$3.05 NOK 28.39

17.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.90 NOK 45.56

$5.70 NOK 53.0

-14.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.24

$2.55 NOK 23.76

1.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 NOK 29.49

$2.87 NOK 26.73

10.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.90 NOK 27.01

$3.02 NOK 28.14

-3.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 NOK 21.51

$2.08 NOK 19.40

11.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.65 NOK 164

$16.36 NOK 152

7.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.17 NOK 178

$19.07 NOK 177

0.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 NOK 35.82

$3.70 NOK 34.44

4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 NOK 42.86

$4.10 NOK 38.15

12.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.89 NOK 45.54

$4.92 NOK 45.82

-0.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 NOK 811

$84.9 NOK 790

2.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 NOK 60.3

$10.44 NOK 97.1

-37.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 NOK 16.60

$1.75 NOK 16.28

1.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$105 NOK 979

$77.6 NOK 722

35.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 NOK 21.64

$2.63 NOK 24.45

-11.79%

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

$48.7K NOK 453.4K

$46.2K NOK 430.4K

5.36%

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

$41.8K NOK 389.3K

$40.9K NOK 381.0K

2.16%

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

$257 NOK 2,394

$278 NOK 2,584

-7.34%

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

$35.59 NOK 331

$32.56 NOK 303

9.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.9 NOK 790

$55.9 NOK 520

51.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 NOK 490

$48.71 NOK 453

8.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.90 NOK 343

$42.76 NOK 398

-13.70%

Cinema Ticket

$22.33 NOK 208

$18.06 NOK 168

23.64%

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

$325 NOK 3,025

$233 NOK 2,170

39.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K NOK 133.8K

$11.5K NOK 107.2K

24.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$126 NOK 1,172

$90.0 NOK 837

40.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 NOK 565

$62.5 NOK 582

-2.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 NOK 1,443

$144 NOK 1,338

7.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 NOK 1,890

$144 NOK 1,341

40.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 NOK 16.2K

$1,239 NOK 11.5K

40.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 NOK 12.9K

$995 NOK 9,258

39.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,840 NOK 26.4K

$1,511 NOK 14.1K

87.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 NOK 19.0K

$1,285 NOK 12.0K

59.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,241 NOK 58.1K

$6,490 NOK 60.4K

-3.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,530 NOK 51.5K

$4,779 NOK 44.5K

15.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,111 NOK 47.6K

$4,667 NOK 43.4K

9.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

4.96

6.25%

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

Last update for Stavanger: August 31, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,746 in Stavanger and $1,239 in Tonsberg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 10% 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: $100 in Stavanger vs $107 in Tonsberg. Groceries flip the comparison at $530 vs $492, with Tonsberg cheaper for home cooking.

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, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Stavanger, 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: $1,746 in Stavanger versus $1,239 in Tonsberg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,179 per month in Stavanger versus $2,702 in Tonsberg – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tonsberg runs roughly 3% 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 18% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.