Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,387 in Oslo versus $3,218 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,974 in Oslo versus $4,673 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,560 in Oslo versus $6,128 in Stavanger.

Living in Oslo is roughly 5% more expensive than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 146% above, Stavanger 133% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.27 NOK 197

$25.27 NOK 234

-15.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$128 NOK 1,185

$97.7 NOK 906

30.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.44 NOK 153

$16.20 NOK 150

1.48%

Cappuccino

$5.90 NOK 54.7

$6.50 NOK 60.3

-9.23%

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

$4.24 NOK 39.33

$5.65 NOK 52.4

-24.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 NOK 33.09

$4.62 NOK 42.85

-22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.07 NOK 112

$13.72 NOK 127

-12.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.80 NOK 119

$12.21 NOK 113

4.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 NOK 23.90

$2.39 NOK 22.16

7.95%

White Bread (500g)

$4.34 NOK 40.29

$3.69 NOK 34.25

17.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 NOK 42.88

$4.04 NOK 37.50

14.36%

Eggs

$6.15 NOK 57.1

$5.03 NOK 46.67

22.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.72 NOK 137

$15.21 NOK 141

-3.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.54 NOK 144

$17.62 NOK 163

-11.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.93 NOK 287

$35.78 NOK 332

-13.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 NOK 31.04

$3.58 NOK 33.17

-6.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 NOK 25.89

$2.90 NOK 26.88

-3.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 NOK 32.23

$3.63 NOK 33.71

-4.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.99 NOK 55.5

$4.87 NOK 45.18

23.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 NOK 24.95

$2.62 NOK 24.32

2.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 26.76

$3.24 NOK 30.03

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.26 NOK 30.22

$2.85 NOK 26.41

14.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 NOK 23.76

$2.31 NOK 21.43

10.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.43 NOK 180

$17.75 NOK 165

9.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.04 NOK 158

$18.90 NOK 175

-9.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 NOK 33.38

$4.03 NOK 37.43

-10.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 NOK 40.08

$4.53 NOK 42.06

-4.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.98 NOK 46.20

$4.75 NOK 44.10

4.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.3 NOK 800

$87.1 NOK 808

-0.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.52 NOK 116

$6.21 NOK 57.6

101.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NOK 17.80

$1.80 NOK 16.70

6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.6 NOK 655

$105 NOK 971

-32.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 NOK 20.96

$2.29 NOK 21.25

-1.31%

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

$48.7K NOK 451.7K

$50.3K NOK 466.2K

-3.10%

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

$45.3K NOK 420.1K

$43.0K NOK 398.5K

5.43%

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

$424 NOK 3,932

$261 NOK 2,424

62.20%

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

$32.72 NOK 304

$35.80 NOK 332

-8.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 NOK 530

$85.6 NOK 794

-33.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 NOK 559

$52.1 NOK 484

15.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.67 NOK 275

$37.84 NOK 351

-21.59%

Cinema Ticket

$19.71 NOK 183

$22.77 NOK 211

-13.44%

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

$252 NOK 2,336

$332 NOK 3,079

-24.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K NOK 150.6K

$14.2K NOK 132.2K

13.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 963

$127 NOK 1,182

-18.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 NOK 582

$61.6 NOK 571

1.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NOK 1,247

$156 NOK 1,447

-13.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 NOK 1,502

$206 NOK 1,914

-21.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 NOK 19.0K

$1,757 NOK 16.3K

16.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 NOK 14.3K

$1,393 NOK 12.9K

10.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,027 NOK 28.1K

$2,793 NOK 25.9K

8.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,304 NOK 21.4K

$2,062 NOK 19.1K

11.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K NOK 113.6K

$6,206 NOK 57.6K

97.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,156 NOK 66.4K

$5,375 NOK 49.9K

33.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,594 NOK 42.6K

$5,012 NOK 46.5K

-8.34%

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 Oslo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,043 in Oslo and $1,757 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $128 in Oslo vs $98.0 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $523 vs $533, with Oslo 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

Oslo vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stavanger is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% 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: $2,043 in Oslo versus $1,757 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,387 per month in Oslo versus $3,218 in Stavanger – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stavanger runs roughly 1% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Stavanger is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Stavanger is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Oslo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Oslo 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 Stavanger gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.