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

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

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

Living in Tonsberg costs roughly 15% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.99 NOK 195

$26.10 NOK 243

-19.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 NOK 997

$100 NOK 931

7.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.96 NOK 148

$15.98 NOK 149

-0.13%

Cappuccino

$5.55 NOK 51.6

$6.53 NOK 60.8

-15.01%

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

$5.73 NOK 53.3

$5.57 NOK 51.9

2.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 NOK 50.5

$4.55 NOK 42.31

19.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.96 NOK 111

$13.62 NOK 127

-12.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.77 NOK 100

$12.09 NOK 113

-10.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 NOK 21.21

$2.49 NOK 23.16

-8.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 NOK 33.33

$3.60 NOK 33.54

-0.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 NOK 41.17

$3.96 NOK 36.82

11.62%

Eggs

$4.87 NOK 45.36

$4.97 NOK 46.28

-2.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 NOK 108

$14.64 NOK 136

-21.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.09 NOK 140

$17.53 NOK 163

-13.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.62 NOK 313

$35.75 NOK 333

-5.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 NOK 28.19

$3.70 NOK 34.45

-18.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 NOK 21.87

$2.86 NOK 26.59

-17.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 NOK 28.39

$3.58 NOK 33.28

-14.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 NOK 53.0

$4.90 NOK 45.56

16.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 23.76

$2.60 NOK 24.24

-1.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 NOK 26.73

$3.17 NOK 29.49

-9.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 NOK 28.14

$2.90 NOK 27.01

4.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 NOK 19.40

$2.31 NOK 21.51

-9.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.36 NOK 152

$17.65 NOK 164

-7.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.07 NOK 177

$19.17 NOK 178

-0.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.70 NOK 34.44

$3.85 NOK 35.82

-3.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 NOK 38.15

$4.61 NOK 42.86

-11.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.92 NOK 45.82

$4.89 NOK 45.54

0.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 NOK 790

$87.1 NOK 811

-2.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.44 NOK 97.1

$6.48 NOK 60.3

61.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 NOK 16.28

$1.78 NOK 16.60

-1.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$77.6 NOK 722

$105 NOK 979

-26.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.63 NOK 24.45

$2.32 NOK 21.64

13.36%

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

$46.2K NOK 430.4K

$48.7K NOK 453.4K

-5.09%

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

$40.9K NOK 381.0K

$41.8K NOK 389.3K

-2.12%

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

$278 NOK 2,584

$257 NOK 2,394

7.92%

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

$32.56 NOK 303

$35.59 NOK 331

-8.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 NOK 520

$84.9 NOK 790

-34.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.71 NOK 453

$52.6 NOK 490

-7.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.76 NOK 398

$36.90 NOK 343

15.88%

Cinema Ticket

$18.06 NOK 168

$22.33 NOK 208

-19.12%

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

$233 NOK 2,170

$325 NOK 3,025

-28.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K NOK 107.2K

$14.4K NOK 133.8K

-19.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.0 NOK 837

$126 NOK 1,172

-28.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 NOK 582

$60.7 NOK 565

2.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 NOK 1,338

$155 NOK 1,443

-7.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 NOK 1,341

$203 NOK 1,890

-29.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 NOK 11.5K

$1,746 NOK 16.2K

-29.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$995 NOK 9,258

$1,387 NOK 12.9K

-28.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 NOK 14.1K

$2,840 NOK 26.4K

-46.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 NOK 12.0K

$2,044 NOK 19.0K

-37.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,490 NOK 60.4K

$6,241 NOK 58.1K

3.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,779 NOK 44.5K

$5,530 NOK 51.5K

-13.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,667 NOK 43.4K

$5,111 NOK 47.6K

-8.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

5.27

-5.88%

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

Last update for Tonsberg: August 29, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,239 in Tonsberg and $1,746 in Stavanger. 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: $107 in Tonsberg vs $100 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $492 vs $530, 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

Tonsberg vs Stavanger: 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.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Stavanger. 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: $1,239 in Tonsberg versus $1,746 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,702 per month in Tonsberg versus $3,179 in Stavanger – 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, 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 18% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.