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: $3,141 in Oslo versus $2,744 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,597 in Oslo versus $4,187 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,053 in Oslo versus $5,629 in Stavanger.

Living in Oslo is roughly 14% more expensive than Stavanger, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 134% above, Stavanger 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.53 NOK 238

$25.49 NOK 238

0.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,144

$121 NOK 1,128

1.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.15 NOK 141

$15.31 NOK 143

-1.05%

Cappuccino

$4.86 NOK 45.41

$5.17 NOK 48.27

-6.00%

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

$4.08 NOK 38.14

$4.04 NOK 37.75

0.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NOK 29.79

$3.47 NOK 32.36

-8.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.02 NOK 112

$11.15 NOK 104

7.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.22 NOK 105

$10.27 NOK 95.9

9.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 NOK 22.35

$2.45 NOK 22.85

-2.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 NOK 38.17

$3.02 NOK 28.17

35.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 NOK 34.19

$4.56 NOK 42.59

-19.74%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 47.00

$4.46 NOK 41.66

12.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.46 NOK 126

$13.11 NOK 122

2.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.04 NOK 150

$16.72 NOK 156

-4.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.76 NOK 287

$27.15 NOK 253

13.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 NOK 32.63

$3.58 NOK 33.43

-2.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 24.53

$2.56 NOK 23.92

2.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 NOK 31.32

$2.98 NOK 27.86

12.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 NOK 48.20

$4.61 NOK 43.04

11.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 NOK 22.69

$2.09 NOK 19.51

16.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.33

$3.09 NOK 28.84

-12.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.61

$2.50 NOK 23.38

14.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 NOK 21.84

$1.81 NOK 16.89

29.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.19 NOK 160

$15.37 NOK 143

11.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 NOK 177

$19.14 NOK 179

-1.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.28

$3.63 NOK 33.87

-7.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 NOK 40.87

$4.13 NOK 38.58

6.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.31 NOK 40.20

$4.66 NOK 43.52

-7.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 NOK 727

$67.1 NOK 626

16.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 NOK 93.8

$14.97 NOK 140

-32.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 12.93

$2.12 NOK 19.80

-34.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.24 NOK 394

$99.8 NOK 932

-57.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.34

$2.15 NOK 20.05

1.40%

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

$36.5K NOK 340.5K

$34.0K NOK 317.3K

7.30%

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

$42.7K NOK 398.5K

$32.8K NOK 305.9K

30.24%

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

$304 NOK 2,834

$191 NOK 1,787

58.63%

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

$31.63 NOK 295

$42.73 NOK 399

-25.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 NOK 532

$81.9 NOK 765

-30.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 NOK 539

$55.8 NOK 521

3.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.64 NOK 267

$35.64 NOK 333

-19.64%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 NOK 168

$19.51 NOK 182

-7.69%

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

$274 NOK 2,556

$318 NOK 2,971

-13.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NOK 135.8K

$12.8K NOK 119.2K

13.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 NOK 987

$119 NOK 1,112

-11.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.4 NOK 611

$58.3 NOK 544

12.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,158

$106 NOK 986

17.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,572

$157 NOK 1,467

7.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 NOK 15.6K

$1,604 NOK 15.0K

4.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 NOK 13.5K

$1,115 NOK 10.4K

29.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,749 NOK 25.7K

$2,756 NOK 25.7K

-0.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,165 NOK 20.2K

$1,738 NOK 16.2K

24.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K NOK 112.2K

$6,190 NOK 57.8K

94.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,295 NOK 68.1K

$5,435 NOK 50.7K

34.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,411 NOK 41.2K

$4,992 NOK 46.6K

-11.65%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,671 in Oslo and $1,604 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $122 in Oslo vs $121 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $500 vs $472 per month, with Stavanger 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

Oslo vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stavanger is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Stavanger earns 13% 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: $1,671 in Oslo 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 $3,141 per month in Oslo versus $2,744 in Stavanger – a 14% 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 14% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.