Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Lillehammer Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Lillehammer

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,773 per month in Stavanger vs $1,992 in Lillehammer, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,121 per month in Stavanger vs $2,975 in Lillehammer, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,469 per month in Stavanger vs $3,957 in Lillehammer, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 39% more than Lillehammer, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Stavanger and Lillehammer sit above the global median – Stavanger by 108%, Lillehammer by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.15 NOK 243

$16.31 NOK 157

54.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 NOK 1,193

$81.9 NOK 790

51.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.47 NOK 149

$14.30 NOK 138

8.18%

Cappuccino

$5.09 NOK 49.08

$4.80 NOK 46.29

6.04%

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

$3.97 NOK 38.27

$2.74 NOK 26.43

44.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 NOK 32.99

$2.20 NOK 21.22

55.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.30 NOK 109

$9.25 NOK 89.2

22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.04 NOK 96.8

$6.76 NOK 65.2

48.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 NOK 23.46

$2.04 NOK 19.67

19.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 NOK 29.28

$2.06 NOK 19.87

47.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 NOK 43.38

$2.05 NOK 19.78

119.51%

Eggs

$4.44 NOK 42.80

$3.00 NOK 28.95

48.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.96 NOK 125

$12.33 NOK 119

5.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.11 NOK 155

$10.27 NOK 99.1

56.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.22 NOK 262

$28.05 NOK 270

-2.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 NOK 33.48

$3.48 NOK 33.60

-0.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 NOK 24.45

$2.07 NOK 20.01

22.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NOK 29.92

$2.66 NOK 25.69

16.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 NOK 45.89

$2.48 NOK 23.95

91.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 NOK 20.79

$1.55 NOK 14.92

39.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 NOK 29.77

$2.04 NOK 19.69

51.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 NOK 25.12

$1.31 NOK 12.61

99.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 NOK 16.78

$2.39 NOK 23.06

-27.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.94 NOK 144

$14.06 NOK 136

6.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.99 NOK 173

$15.41 NOK 149

16.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 NOK 33.68

$3.48 NOK 33.59

0.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 NOK 39.93

$4.70 NOK 45.34

-11.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.67 NOK 45.02

$2.55 NOK 24.63

83.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.4 NOK 660

$53.2 NOK 513

28.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 NOK 145

$5.70 NOK 55.0

163.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 NOK 20.77

$0.99 NOK 9.58

117.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$101 NOK 976

$50.8 NOK 490

99.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 21.00

$2.16 NOK 20.84

0.93%

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

$34.5K NOK 332.5K

$31.4K NOK 302.7K

9.86%

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

$33.2K NOK 319.8K

$35.3K NOK 340.0K

-5.94%

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

$191 NOK 1,842

$325 NOK 3,134

-41.23%

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

$43.05 NOK 415

$41.77 NOK 403

3.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.9 NOK 790

$35.78 NOK 345

128.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 NOK 540

$49.97 NOK 482

12.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.99 NOK 337

$35.32 NOK 341

-0.93%

Cinema Ticket

$19.39 NOK 187

$12.21 NOK 118

58.80%

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

$315 NOK 3,038

$300 NOK 2,893

5.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NOK 123.3K

$8,625 NOK 83.2K

48.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 NOK 1,152

$92.1 NOK 888

29.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 NOK 576

$30.59 NOK 295

95.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,029

$71.9 NOK 693

48.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,552

$131 NOK 1,262

22.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 NOK 15.6K

$993 NOK 9,573

62.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 NOK 10.9K

$609 NOK 5,874

86.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,719 NOK 26.2K

$1,796 NOK 17.3K

51.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 NOK 16.8K

$910 NOK 8,778

90.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,982 NOK 57.7K

$5,747 NOK 55.4K

4.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,156 NOK 49.7K

$2,510 NOK 24.2K

105.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,945 NOK 47.7K

$2,013 NOK 19.4K

145.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.32

4.40%

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

Last update for Stavanger: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lillehammer: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,617 in Stavanger versus $993 in Lillehammer. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 146% higher in Stavanger, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $124 in Stavanger versus $82.0 in Lillehammer. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $466 vs $387 – making Lillehammer the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Stavanger vs Lillehammer: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stavanger costs about 39% more than Lillehammer, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,159 per month in Stavanger and $2,989 in Lillehammer. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lillehammer, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Stavanger, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $124 in Stavanger and $82.0 in Lillehammer. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lillehammer, where all-in costs run around $1,992, than in Stavanger at $2,773. In Lillehammer it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stavanger it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lillehammer costs $1,992 versus $2,773 in Stavanger. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lillehammer. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stavanger makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.