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

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

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,885 in Tonsberg versus $5,516 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 85% above, Stavanger 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.36 NOK 243

$25.19 NOK 242

0.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 980

$121 NOK 1,160

-15.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.89 NOK 133

$15.28 NOK 147

-9.10%

Cappuccino

$4.79 NOK 45.97

$5.14 NOK 49.25

-6.81%

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

$5.15 NOK 49.42

$3.91 NOK 37.50

31.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 NOK 47.35

$3.29 NOK 31.59

50.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.96 NOK 95.5

$11.23 NOK 108

-11.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.66 NOK 92.6

$10.04 NOK 96.3

-3.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 21.15

$2.34 NOK 22.45

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 NOK 32.51

$3.12 NOK 29.92

8.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 NOK 30.70

$4.59 NOK 44.01

-30.28%

Eggs

$4.33 NOK 41.49

$4.35 NOK 41.68

-0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 NOK 115

$13.30 NOK 128

-10.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.90 NOK 143

$16.55 NOK 159

-9.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.98 NOK 268

$27.18 NOK 261

2.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 NOK 33.80

$3.43 NOK 32.90

2.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 NOK 23.09

$2.52 NOK 24.21

-4.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 NOK 31.20

$3.07 NOK 29.46

5.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 NOK 42.26

$4.60 NOK 44.08

-4.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 NOK 23.46

$2.13 NOK 20.48

15.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 NOK 23.66

$3.02 NOK 28.95

-18.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 NOK 26.24

$2.57 NOK 24.68

6.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 NOK 18.33

$1.77 NOK 16.99

7.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.95 NOK 143

$15.02 NOK 144

-0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.33 NOK 185

$18.00 NOK 173

7.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.41 NOK 32.66

$3.55 NOK 34.04

-3.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 NOK 39.62

$4.16 NOK 39.94

-0.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 NOK 40.06

$4.44 NOK 42.58

-5.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.3 NOK 694

$67.3 NOK 645

7.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 NOK 97.5

$14.99 NOK 144

-32.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.42

$2.16 NOK 20.72

-35.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.45 NOK 455

$102 NOK 978

-53.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 NOK 20.14

$2.12 NOK 20.35

-0.94%

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

$34.8K NOK 334.2K

$33.9K NOK 325.2K

2.78%

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

$38.7K NOK 371.6K

$32.9K NOK 316.0K

17.59%

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

$237 NOK 2,272

$193 NOK 1,855

22.51%

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

$37.87 NOK 363

$42.48 NOK 407

-10.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 NOK 521

$81.0 NOK 777

-32.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.98 NOK 479

$55.9 NOK 536

-10.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.76 NOK 343

$35.09 NOK 337

1.91%

Cinema Ticket

$16.26 NOK 156

$18.85 NOK 181

-13.74%

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

$285 NOK 2,734

$321 NOK 3,079

-11.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K NOK 96.1K

$12.9K NOK 123.6K

-22.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.0 NOK 921

$117 NOK 1,126

-18.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.9 NOK 498

$58.0 NOK 556

-10.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 NOK 1,052

$103 NOK 991

6.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,462

$158 NOK 1,518

-3.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 NOK 11.8K

$1,633 NOK 15.7K

-24.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$935 NOK 8,966

$1,134 NOK 10.9K

-17.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 NOK 13.8K

$2,713 NOK 26.0K

-46.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 NOK 11.5K

$1,748 NOK 16.8K

-31.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,119 NOK 49.1K

$6,159 NOK 59.1K

-16.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,108 NOK 39.4K

$5,339 NOK 51.2K

-23.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,407 NOK 42.3K

$4,993 NOK 47.9K

-11.74%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,226 in Tonsberg and $1,633 in Stavanger. 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: $102 in Tonsberg vs $121 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $458 vs $468 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 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 13% 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: $1,226 in Tonsberg versus $1,633 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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