Cost of Living Comparison Between Stillwater, MN and Sandefjord Cost of Living Comparison Between Stillwater, MN and Sandefjord

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,845 per month in Stillwater, MN vs $2,465 in Sandefjord, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,988 per month in Stillwater, MN vs $3,546 in Sandefjord, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,132 per month in Stillwater, MN vs $4,627 in Sandefjord, rent included.

Stillwater, MN costs about 15% more than Sandefjord, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Stillwater, MN and Sandefjord sit above the global median – Stillwater, MN by 113%, Sandefjord by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.22 $18.22

$18.94 NOK 182

-3.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$103 NOK 991

-21.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$13.55 NOK 131

-9.74%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$4.89 NOK 47.14

13.09%

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

$2.03 $2.03

$2.46 NOK 23.65

-17.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.16 NOK 20.76

7.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.44 $6.44

$8.97 NOK 86.4

-28.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 $7.06

$9.87 NOK 95.1

-28.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.19 NOK 21.07

-58.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.03 NOK 29.15

14.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$2.74 NOK 26.41

100.36%

Eggs

$3.77 $3.77

$3.56 NOK 34.26

5.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 $11.46

$11.36 NOK 109

0.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$16.37 NOK 158

-12.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.43 $16.43

$34.28 NOK 330

-52.07%

Apples (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$2.86 NOK 27.55

120.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.28 NOK 21.95

-18.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.61 $6.61

$2.31 NOK 22.27

186.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$3.60 NOK 34.67

51.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.07 NOK 19.96

46.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.22 NOK 21.43

64.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.63 NOK 25.33

-2.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.91 NOK 18.37

19.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.42 $7.42

$14.30 NOK 138

-48.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.05 $16.05

$13.11 NOK 126

22.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.71 NOK 35.69

-40.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 $5.04

$4.11 NOK 39.61

22.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$5.08 NOK 48.96

-60.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 $83.2

$69.8 NOK 672

19.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 $4.62

$10.15 NOK 97.8

-54.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.46 NOK 14.08

14.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.56 $23.56

$62.7 NOK 604

-62.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$2.11 NOK 20.33

-58.29%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$35.7K NOK 344.2K

-15.50%

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

$22.3K $22.3K

$35.3K NOK 339.8K

-36.80%

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

$132 $132

$222 NOK 2,141

-40.69%

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

$50.9 $50.9

$44.21 NOK 426

15.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 $68.7

$38.50 NOK 371

78.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.25 $43.25

$48.70 NOK 469

-11.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.19 NOK 339

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 $15.10

$12.85 NOK 124

17.51%

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

$1,637 $1,637

$286 NOK 2,750

473.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.3K $26.3K

$4,812 NOK 46.4K

446.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 $61.6

$104 NOK 998

-40.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.20 $43.20

$46.60 NOK 449

-7.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 $89.3

$102 NOK 986

-12.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.1 $50.1

$140 NOK 1,349

-64.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 $1,473

$1,239 NOK 11.9K

18.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$992 NOK 9,551

61.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 $2,157

$1,483 NOK 14.3K

45.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,301 $2,301

$1,263 NOK 12.2K

82.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,998 $2,998

$6,234 NOK 60.0K

-51.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,941 $2,941

$3,514 NOK 33.8K

-16.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,421 $6,421

$3,850 NOK 37.1K

66.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

4.38

48.63%

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

Last update for Stillwater, MN: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sandefjord: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,473 in Stillwater, MN versus $1,239 in Sandefjord. 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 67% higher in Stillwater, MN, 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 $80.0 in Stillwater, MN versus $103 in Sandefjord. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $440 vs $448 – making Stillwater, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Stillwater, MN vs Sandefjord: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stillwater, MN costs about 15% more than Sandefjord, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,268 per month in Stillwater, MN and $3,697 in Sandefjord. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sandefjord, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Sandefjord. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,637 per month in Stillwater, MN and $286 in Sandefjord. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sandefjord, where all-in costs run around $2,465, than in Stillwater, MN at $2,845. In Sandefjord it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stillwater, MN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sandefjord – 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 Sandefjord. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stillwater, MN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.