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: $2,709 in Stavanger versus $2,478 in Tonsberg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,113 in Stavanger versus $3,681 in Tonsberg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,516 in Stavanger versus $4,885 in Tonsberg.

Living in Stavanger is roughly 9% more expensive than in Tonsberg, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 103% above, Tonsberg 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.19 NOK 242

$25.36 NOK 243

-0.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,160

$102 NOK 980

18.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.28 NOK 147

$13.89 NOK 133

10.01%

Cappuccino

$5.14 NOK 49.25

$4.79 NOK 45.97

7.31%

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

$3.91 NOK 37.50

$5.15 NOK 49.42

-24.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 NOK 31.59

$4.94 NOK 47.35

-33.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.23 NOK 108

$9.96 NOK 95.5

12.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.04 NOK 96.3

$9.66 NOK 92.6

3.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 NOK 22.45

$2.21 NOK 21.15

5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 NOK 29.92

$3.39 NOK 32.51

-7.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 NOK 44.01

$3.20 NOK 30.70

43.44%

Eggs

$4.35 NOK 41.68

$4.33 NOK 41.49

0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 NOK 128

$11.95 NOK 115

11.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.55 NOK 159

$14.90 NOK 143

11.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.18 NOK 261

$27.98 NOK 268

-2.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 NOK 32.90

$3.52 NOK 33.80

-2.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 24.21

$2.41 NOK 23.09

4.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 NOK 29.46

$3.25 NOK 31.20

-5.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 NOK 44.08

$4.41 NOK 42.26

4.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 NOK 20.48

$2.45 NOK 23.46

-13.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 NOK 28.95

$2.47 NOK 23.66

22.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 NOK 24.68

$2.74 NOK 26.24

-6.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 NOK 16.99

$1.91 NOK 18.33

-7.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.02 NOK 144

$14.95 NOK 143

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.00 NOK 173

$19.33 NOK 185

-6.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 NOK 34.04

$3.41 NOK 32.66

4.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 NOK 39.94

$4.13 NOK 39.62

0.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.44 NOK 42.58

$4.18 NOK 40.06

6.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 NOK 645

$72.3 NOK 694

-7.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.99 NOK 144

$10.16 NOK 97.5

47.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 NOK 20.72

$1.40 NOK 13.42

54.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$102 NOK 978

$47.45 NOK 455

114.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 20.35

$2.10 NOK 20.14

0.95%

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

$33.9K NOK 325.2K

$34.8K NOK 334.2K

-2.70%

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

$32.9K NOK 316.0K

$38.7K NOK 371.6K

-14.96%

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

$193 NOK 1,855

$237 NOK 2,272

-18.37%

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

$42.48 NOK 407

$37.87 NOK 363

12.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.0 NOK 777

$54.3 NOK 521

49.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 NOK 536

$49.98 NOK 479

11.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.09 NOK 337

$35.76 NOK 343

-1.87%

Cinema Ticket

$18.85 NOK 181

$16.26 NOK 156

15.93%

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

$321 NOK 3,079

$285 NOK 2,734

12.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 123.6K

$10.0K NOK 96.1K

28.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 NOK 1,126

$96.0 NOK 921

22.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 NOK 556

$51.9 NOK 498

11.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 NOK 991

$110 NOK 1,052

-5.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,518

$152 NOK 1,462

3.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 NOK 15.7K

$1,226 NOK 11.8K

33.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 NOK 10.9K

$935 NOK 8,966

21.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,713 NOK 26.0K

$1,438 NOK 13.8K

88.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,748 NOK 16.8K

$1,203 NOK 11.5K

45.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,159 NOK 59.1K

$5,119 NOK 49.1K

20.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,339 NOK 51.2K

$4,108 NOK 39.4K

29.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,993 NOK 47.9K

$4,407 NOK 42.3K

13.31%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Stavanger and $1,226 in Tonsberg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 13% 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 $102 in Tonsberg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $468 vs $458 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 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 13% 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: $1,633 in Stavanger versus $1,226 in Tonsberg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,709 per month in Stavanger versus $2,478 in Tonsberg – a 9% 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 9% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.