Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Lillestrom

For one person, living is cheaper in Lillestrom: $2,615 a month against $3,182 in Stavanger, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Stavanger
🇳🇴 Norway
$3,182
/mo nomad
Lillestrom
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,615
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Stavanger and in Lillestrom

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Stavanger and in Lillestrom actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,182 in Stavanger versus $2,615 in Lillestrom.

  • Stavanger $3,182
  • Lillestrom $2,615

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,594 in Stavanger versus $4,023 in Lillestrom.

  • Stavanger $4,594
  • Lillestrom $4,023

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,007 in Stavanger versus $5,432 in Lillestrom.

  • Stavanger $6,007
  • Lillestrom $5,432

Living in Stavanger is roughly 22% more expensive than in Lillestrom, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 135% above, Lillestrom 93% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Stavanger
Lillestrom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.06 NOK 227
$20.91 NOK 197
15.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$96.0 NOK 904
$121 NOK 1,135
-20.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.68 NOK 148
$11.05 NOK 104
41.90%
Cappuccino
$6.18 NOK 58.2
$6.17 NOK 58.1
0.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74 NOK 54.1
$4.05 NOK 38.09
41.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 NOK 42.48
$3.12 NOK 29.36
44.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$14.04 NOK 132
$11.80 NOK 111
18.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.57 NOK 99.5
$10.45 NOK 98.4
1.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stavanger
Lillestrom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.52 NOK 23.72
$2.45 NOK 23.10
2.86%
White Bread (500g)
$3.51 NOK 33.07
$3.62 NOK 34.06
-3.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.97 NOK 37.39
$4.08 NOK 38.37
-2.70%
Eggs
$4.79 NOK 45.06
$5.73 NOK 53.9
-16.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.72 NOK 139
$13.08 NOK 123
12.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.47 NOK 164
$13.77 NOK 130
26.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$36.08 NOK 340
$27.30 NOK 257
32.16%
Apples (1kg)
$3.52 NOK 33.12
$3.46 NOK 32.55
1.73%
Banana (1kg)
$2.84 NOK 26.71
$2.81 NOK 26.45
1.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.61 NOK 33.98
$4.08 NOK 38.40
-11.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.94 NOK 46.50
$5.45 NOK 51.3
-9.36%
Potato (1kg)
$2.62 NOK 24.64
$2.75 NOK 25.85
-4.73%
Onion (1kg)
$3.19 NOK 30.06
$3.69 NOK 34.71
-13.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.75 NOK 25.91
$1.79 NOK 16.80
53.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.31 NOK 21.76
$2.28 NOK 21.44
1.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.56 NOK 165
$17.49 NOK 165
0.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.06 NOK 179
$16.88 NOK 159
12.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.82 NOK 35.97
$5.57 NOK 52.5
-31.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.60 NOK 43.28
$5.86 NOK 55.1
-21.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Stavanger
Lillestrom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.70 NOK 44.26
$4.46 NOK 42.01
5.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.6 NOK 834
$83.8 NOK 789
5.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.33 NOK 59.6
$11.92 NOK 112
-46.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 NOK 16.19
$1.85 NOK 17.44
-7.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$103 NOK 973
$69.1 NOK 650
49.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.39 NOK 22.47
$2.29 NOK 21.53
4.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.2K NOK 462.7K
$48.5K NOK 456.4K
1.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.3K NOK 388.4K
$44.4K NOK 418.1K
-7.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stavanger
Lillestrom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$262 NOK 2,466
$269 NOK 2,532
-2.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.42 NOK 324
$32.87 NOK 309
4.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$79.6 NOK 749
$52.5 NOK 494
51.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stavanger
Lillestrom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.4 NOK 512
$49.58 NOK 467
9.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$37.43 NOK 352
$36.47 NOK 343
2.63%
Cinema Ticket
$22.32 NOK 210
$17.09 NOK 161
30.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stavanger
Lillestrom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$331 NOK 3,112
$238 NOK 2,244
38.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.4K NOK 135.5K
$13.1K NOK 122.8K
10.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stavanger
Lillestrom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$129 NOK 1,218
$101 NOK 955
27.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.9 NOK 573
$55.8 NOK 525
9.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$147 NOK 1,383
$126 NOK 1,186
16.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$204 NOK 1,919
$158 NOK 1,484
29.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stavanger
Lillestrom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,691 NOK 15.9K
$1,245 NOK 11.7K
35.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,367 NOK 12.9K
$982 NOK 9,242
39.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,768 NOK 26.1K
$1,945 NOK 18.3K
42.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,987 NOK 18.7K
$1,658 NOK 15.6K
19.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,409 NOK 60.3K
$6,206 NOK 58.4K
3.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,282 NOK 49.7K
$4,015 NOK 37.8K
31.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stavanger
Lillestrom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,084 NOK 47.9K
$3,767 NOK 35.5K
34.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.24
4.94
6.07%

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

Last update for Stavanger: October 18, 2026

Last update for Lillestrom: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Stavanger
$1.4K
Lillestrom
$982 28.2% $385
Groceries & Markets
Stavanger
$528
Lillestrom
$491 7% $37
Eating Out
Stavanger
$446
Lillestrom
$383 14.1% $63
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stavanger
$376
Lillestrom
$354 5.8% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Stavanger
$243
Lillestrom
$198 18.5% $45
Getting Around
Stavanger
$122
Lillestrom
$123 0.5% $0.6
Sport & Entertainment
Stavanger
$99
Lillestrom
$84 15.4% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,691 in Stavanger and $1,245 in Lillestrom. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 35% 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: $96.0 in Stavanger vs $121 in Lillestrom. Groceries flip the comparison at $528 vs $491, with Lillestrom cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Stavanger
🇳🇴 Lillestrom
🕒 Local time
02:07 2:07 AM
02:07 2:07 AM
Same time as Stavanger
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,330
94,585
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Stavanger Lillestrom 330 km
From you
  • Stavanger
  • Lillestrom

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lillestrom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Stavanger or Lillestrom?
Lillestrom wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Stavanger. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lillestrom the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Stavanger or in Lillestrom?
Average pay runs 35% higher in Stavanger, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Stavanger compared to Lillestrom?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,691 in Stavanger versus $1,245 in Lillestrom. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Stavanger and in Lillestrom?
Childcare runs $331 in Stavanger versus $238 in Lillestrom. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Stavanger or in Lillestrom?
Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Stavanger. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Stavanger or in Lillestrom?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Lillestrom is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Stavanger or Lillestrom?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lillestrom delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,615 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lillestrom hard to pass up.
How safe is Stavanger compared to Lillestrom?
Safety-wise, Stavanger and Lillestrom are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Lillestrom gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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