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: $3,203 in Oslo versus $2,773 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,686 in Oslo versus $4,121 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,170 in Oslo versus $5,469 in Stavanger.

Living in Oslo is roughly 16% more expensive than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 140% above, Stavanger 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 NOK 245

$25.15 NOK 243

0.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,164

$124 NOK 1,196

-2.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.96 NOK 145

$15.47 NOK 150

-3.30%

Cappuccino

$5.08 NOK 49.07

$5.09 NOK 49.21

-0.20%

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

$4.10 NOK 39.66

$3.97 NOK 38.36

3.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NOK 30.85

$3.42 NOK 33.08

-6.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.37 NOK 120

$11.30 NOK 109

9.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.03 NOK 107

$10.04 NOK 97.0

9.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 23.24

$2.43 NOK 23.52

-1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 NOK 39.00

$3.04 NOK 29.36

32.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 NOK 35.50

$4.50 NOK 43.49

-18.44%

Eggs

$4.95 NOK 47.82

$4.44 NOK 42.90

11.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.66 NOK 132

$12.96 NOK 125

5.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.41 NOK 159

$16.11 NOK 156

1.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.39 NOK 303

$27.22 NOK 263

15.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.85

$3.47 NOK 33.57

3.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 25.44

$2.54 NOK 24.51

3.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 33.39

$3.10 NOK 29.99

11.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 NOK 48.98

$4.76 NOK 46.01

6.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 24.22

$2.16 NOK 20.84

16.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 26.22

$3.09 NOK 29.84

-12.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.83

$2.61 NOK 25.18

6.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NOK 23.25

$1.74 NOK 16.83

38.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.46 NOK 169

$14.94 NOK 144

16.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 NOK 180

$17.99 NOK 174

3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.41 NOK 33.00

$3.49 NOK 33.76

-2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 NOK 42.06

$4.14 NOK 40.03

5.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 NOK 40.44

$4.67 NOK 45.14

-10.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.6 NOK 769

$68.4 NOK 661

16.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 NOK 98.6

$15.04 NOK 145

-32.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 NOK 13.60

$2.15 NOK 20.82

-34.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.75 NOK 404

$101 NOK 978

-58.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.96

$2.18 NOK 21.06

4.13%

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

$36.7K NOK 354.3K

$34.5K NOK 333.4K

6.28%

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

$42.3K NOK 409.3K

$33.2K NOK 320.6K

27.66%

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

$296 NOK 2,863

$191 NOK 1,846

55.03%

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

$31.29 NOK 302

$43.05 NOK 416

-27.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 NOK 536

$81.9 NOK 792

-32.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 NOK 554

$56.0 NOK 541

2.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.40 NOK 275

$34.99 NOK 338

-18.83%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 NOK 174

$19.39 NOK 187

-7.12%

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

$274 NOK 2,653

$315 NOK 3,046

-12.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 141.9K

$12.8K NOK 123.6K

14.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 NOK 999

$119 NOK 1,155

-13.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 NOK 623

$59.8 NOK 578

7.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 NOK 1,169

$107 NOK 1,031

13.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,620

$161 NOK 1,556

4.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 NOK 16.4K

$1,617 NOK 15.6K

5.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 NOK 13.9K

$1,134 NOK 11.0K

27.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,677 NOK 25.9K

$2,719 NOK 26.3K

-1.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 NOK 21.1K

$1,738 NOK 16.8K

25.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.5K NOK 111.3K

$5,982 NOK 57.8K

92.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,961 NOK 67.3K

$5,156 NOK 49.8K

35.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,256 NOK 41.1K

$4,945 NOK 47.8K

-13.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

4.51

12.64%

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

Last update for Oslo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,700 in Oslo and $1,617 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $120 in Oslo vs $124 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $505 vs $466, with Stavanger 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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 16% 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: $1,700 in Oslo versus $1,617 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,203 per month in Oslo versus $2,773 in Stavanger – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stavanger runs roughly 16% 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 16% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.