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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Tonsberg costs roughly 9% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.57 NOK 242

$25.49 NOK 241

0.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 NOK 955

$121 NOK 1,142

-16.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.53 NOK 128

$15.31 NOK 145

-11.63%

Cappuccino

$4.83 NOK 45.65

$5.17 NOK 48.88

-6.58%

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

$5.42 NOK 51.2

$4.04 NOK 38.23

34.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 NOK 46.94

$3.47 NOK 32.77

43.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.21 NOK 96.5

$11.15 NOK 105

-8.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.46 NOK 89.5

$10.27 NOK 97.1

-7.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 NOK 20.96

$2.45 NOK 23.13

-9.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 NOK 31.24

$3.02 NOK 28.53

9.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 NOK 30.10

$4.56 NOK 43.13

-30.26%

Eggs

$4.27 NOK 40.36

$4.46 NOK 42.19

-4.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.82 NOK 112

$13.11 NOK 124

-9.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.84 NOK 140

$16.72 NOK 158

-11.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.32 NOK 268

$27.15 NOK 257

4.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 NOK 32.36

$3.58 NOK 33.85

-4.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 NOK 22.58

$2.56 NOK 24.22

-6.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 NOK 32.41

$2.98 NOK 28.21

15.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 NOK 42.77

$4.61 NOK 43.59

-1.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 NOK 23.33

$2.09 NOK 19.76

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 NOK 24.30

$3.09 NOK 29.21

-16.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 NOK 26.43

$2.50 NOK 23.68

12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.32

$1.81 NOK 17.11

1.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 NOK 142

$15.37 NOK 145

-2.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.98 NOK 170

$19.14 NOK 181

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 NOK 32.66

$3.63 NOK 34.29

-4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 NOK 38.56

$4.13 NOK 39.06

-1.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.16 NOK 39.34

$4.66 NOK 44.07

-10.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 NOK 683

$67.1 NOK 634

7.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.26 NOK 97.0

$14.97 NOK 141

-31.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 NOK 13.64

$2.12 NOK 20.05

-32.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.58 NOK 440

$99.8 NOK 943

-53.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 NOK 19.79

$2.15 NOK 20.31

-2.79%

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

$36.1K NOK 341.6K

$34.0K NOK 321.3K

6.30%

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

$37.9K NOK 358.5K

$32.8K NOK 309.8K

15.71%

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

$243 NOK 2,295

$191 NOK 1,809

26.81%

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

$39.09 NOK 370

$42.73 NOK 404

-8.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 NOK 522

$81.9 NOK 774

-32.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.50 NOK 468

$55.8 NOK 528

-11.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.01 NOK 340

$35.64 NOK 337

1.04%

Cinema Ticket

$16.61 NOK 157

$19.51 NOK 184

-14.86%

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

$283 NOK 2,678

$318 NOK 3,009

-10.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K NOK 94.8K

$12.8K NOK 120.7K

-21.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.5 NOK 903

$119 NOK 1,126

-19.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 NOK 486

$58.3 NOK 551

-11.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NOK 1,005

$106 NOK 998

0.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 NOK 1,430

$157 NOK 1,486

-3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 NOK 11.5K

$1,604 NOK 15.2K

-23.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$954 NOK 9,015

$1,115 NOK 10.5K

-14.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 NOK 13.6K

$2,756 NOK 26.1K

-47.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 NOK 11.6K

$1,738 NOK 16.4K

-29.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,966 NOK 56.4K

$6,190 NOK 58.5K

-3.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,341 NOK 41.0K

$5,435 NOK 51.4K

-20.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,692 NOK 44.4K

$4,992 NOK 47.2K

-6.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

4.51

-2.88%

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

Last update for Tonsberg: June 1, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,219 in Tonsberg and $1,604 in Stavanger. 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: $101 in Tonsberg vs $121 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $455 vs $472 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

Tonsberg vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, Stavanger earns 6% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

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

All in, you'll spend $2,498 per month in Tonsberg versus $2,744 in Stavanger – 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, Tonsberg and Stavanger 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.