😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,695 in Stavanger versus $2,370 in Hamar.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,140 in Stavanger versus $3,691 in Hamar.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,584 in Stavanger versus $5,011 in Hamar.
😐Living in Stavanger is roughly 14% more expensive than Hamar, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger101% above, Hamar77% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Stavanger
Hamar
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.22NOK 235
$25.45NOK 237
-0.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$119NOK 1,113
$121NOK 1,128
-1.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.32NOK 143
$14.88NOK 139
2.96%
Cappuccino
$5.05NOK 47.09
$5.05NOK 47.02
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01NOK 37.36
$4.10NOK 38.25
-2.20%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46NOK 32.25
$3.18NOK 29.62
8.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$11.16NOK 104
$12.08NOK 113
-7.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.94NOK 92.7
$7.94NOK 74.0
25.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stavanger
Hamar
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$2.45NOK 22.84
$2.07NOK 19.32
18.36%
White Bread(500g)
$3.10NOK 28.90
$2.87NOK 26.79
8.01%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.61NOK 42.97
$2.07NOK 19.30
122.71%
Eggs
$4.34NOK 40.44
$4.97NOK 46.29
-12.68%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.93NOK 120
$10.69NOK 99.6
20.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$16.27NOK 152
$11.99NOK 112
35.70%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$27.67NOK 258
$31.44NOK 293
-11.99%
Apples(1kg)
$3.41NOK 31.76
$3.48NOK 32.45
-2.01%
Banana(1kg)
$2.62NOK 24.42
$2.61NOK 24.32
0.38%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.01NOK 28.07
$2.88NOK 26.81
4.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.55NOK 42.42
$5.16NOK 48.05
-11.82%
Potato(1kg)
$2.07NOK 19.28
$2.39NOK 22.24
-13.39%
Onion(1kg)
$2.99NOK 27.85
$2.45NOK 22.84
22.04%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.47NOK 23.00
$2.01NOK 18.73
22.89%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.84NOK 17.14
$1.94NOK 18.10
-5.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.09NOK 141
$16.88NOK 157
-10.60%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.20NOK 179
$18.77NOK 175
2.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.55NOK 33.07
$3.40NOK 31.68
4.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01NOK 37.39
$4.16NOK 38.80
-3.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Stavanger
Hamar
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.48NOK 41.78
$4.48NOK 41.76
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$66.9NOK 623
$65.2NOK 607
2.62%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$15.00NOK 140
$10.20NOK 95.1
47.06%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.09NOK 19.44
$1.40NOK 13.07
49.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$102NOK 951
$42.35NOK 395
140.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.11NOK 19.66
$2.10NOK 19.60
0.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8KNOK 315.5K
$36.9KNOK 344.0K
-8.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0KNOK 307.7K
$43.4KNOK 404.4K
-23.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stavanger
Hamar
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$191NOK 1,782
$215NOK 2,007
-11.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$43.15NOK 402
$31.45NOK 293
37.20%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$80.5NOK 750
$56.0NOK 521
43.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stavanger
Hamar
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$56.0NOK 522
$55.9NOK 521
0.27%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.16NOK 328
$27.85NOK 260
26.25%
Cinema Ticket
$19.31NOK 180
$17.91NOK 167
7.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stavanger
Hamar
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$322NOK 2,998
$199NOK 1,856
61.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.2KNOK 123.5K
$14.9KNOK 138.5K
-10.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stavanger
Hamar
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$117NOK 1,087
$105NOK 982
10.69%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.7NOK 547
$61.6NOK 574
-4.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$107NOK 994
$124NOK 1,157
-14.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$159NOK 1,484
$99.8NOK 930
59.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stavanger
Hamar
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,580NOK 14.7K
$1,168NOK 10.9K
35.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,123NOK 10.5K
$847NOK 7,898
32.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,783NOK 25.9K
$1,489NOK 13.9K
86.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,781NOK 16.6K
$1,435NOK 13.4K
24.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,940NOK 55.4K
$4,391NOK 40.9K
35.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,361NOK 50.0K
$3,528NOK 32.9K
51.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stavanger
Hamar
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$5,014NOK 46.7K
$4,348NOK 40.5K
15.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.51
5.08
-11.22%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Stavanger: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Hamar: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,580 in Stavanger and $1,168 in Hamar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Stavanger pays 15% 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: $119 in Stavanger vs $121 in Hamar. Groceries flip the comparison at $470 vs $441, with Hamar cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Stavanger vs Hamar: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Stavanger and Hamar?
Stavanger and Hamar differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,695 vs $2,370 including rent). Hamar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Stavanger or Hamar?
Stavanger pays 15% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Stavanger and Hamar?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,580 in Stavanger versus $1,168 in Hamar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Stavanger. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Hamar – a meal for two runs $121 versus $119 in Stavanger. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Hamar is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Stavanger and Hamar?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Stavanger or Hamar safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Stavanger and Hamar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Stavanger or Hamar?
Expats usually find Hamar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Stavanger vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado