Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Oslo Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Oslo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,744 in Stavanger versus $3,141 in Oslo.

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

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

Living in Stavanger costs roughly 13% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.49 NOK 238

$25.53 NOK 238

-0.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,128

$123 NOK 1,144

-1.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.31 NOK 143

$15.15 NOK 141

1.06%

Cappuccino

$5.17 NOK 48.27

$4.86 NOK 45.41

6.38%

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

$4.04 NOK 37.75

$4.08 NOK 38.14

-0.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.36

$3.19 NOK 29.79

8.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.15 NOK 104

$12.02 NOK 112

-7.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.27 NOK 95.9

$11.22 NOK 105

-8.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 NOK 22.85

$2.39 NOK 22.35

2.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 NOK 28.17

$4.09 NOK 38.17

-26.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 NOK 42.59

$3.66 NOK 34.19

24.59%

Eggs

$4.46 NOK 41.66

$5.03 NOK 47.00

-11.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.11 NOK 122

$13.46 NOK 126

-2.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.72 NOK 156

$16.04 NOK 150

4.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.15 NOK 253

$30.76 NOK 287

-11.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.43

$3.49 NOK 32.63

2.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 23.92

$2.63 NOK 24.53

-2.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 NOK 27.86

$3.35 NOK 31.32

-11.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 NOK 43.04

$5.16 NOK 48.20

-10.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NOK 19.51

$2.43 NOK 22.69

-13.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 NOK 28.84

$2.71 NOK 25.33

14.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 NOK 23.38

$2.85 NOK 26.61

-12.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 NOK 16.89

$2.34 NOK 21.84

-22.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.37 NOK 143

$17.19 NOK 160

-10.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.14 NOK 179

$18.93 NOK 177

1.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.63 NOK 33.87

$3.35 NOK 31.28

8.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 NOK 38.58

$4.38 NOK 40.87

-5.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.66 NOK 43.52

$4.31 NOK 40.20

8.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.1 NOK 626

$77.9 NOK 727

-13.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 NOK 140

$10.04 NOK 93.8

49.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 NOK 19.80

$1.38 NOK 12.93

53.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.8 NOK 932

$42.24 NOK 394

136.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 NOK 20.05

$2.18 NOK 20.34

-1.38%

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

$34.0K NOK 317.3K

$36.5K NOK 340.5K

-6.80%

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

$32.8K NOK 305.9K

$42.7K NOK 398.5K

-23.22%

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

$191 NOK 1,787

$304 NOK 2,834

-36.96%

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

$42.73 NOK 399

$31.63 NOK 295

35.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.9 NOK 765

$57.0 NOK 532

43.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 NOK 521

$57.8 NOK 539

-3.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.64 NOK 333

$28.64 NOK 267

24.44%

Cinema Ticket

$19.51 NOK 182

$18.01 NOK 168

8.33%

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

$318 NOK 2,971

$274 NOK 2,556

16.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NOK 119.2K

$14.5K NOK 135.8K

-12.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 NOK 1,112

$106 NOK 987

12.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 NOK 544

$65.4 NOK 611

-10.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NOK 986

$124 NOK 1,158

-14.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 NOK 1,467

$168 NOK 1,572

-6.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 NOK 15.0K

$1,671 NOK 15.6K

-4.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 NOK 10.4K

$1,446 NOK 13.5K

-22.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,756 NOK 25.7K

$2,749 NOK 25.7K

0.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 NOK 16.2K

$2,165 NOK 20.2K

-19.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,190 NOK 57.8K

$12.0K NOK 112.2K

-48.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,435 NOK 50.7K

$7,295 NOK 68.1K

-25.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,992 NOK 46.6K

$4,411 NOK 41.2K

13.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

5.08

-11.22%

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

Last update for Stavanger: May 30, 2026

Last update for Oslo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Stavanger and $1,671 in Oslo. 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: $121 in Stavanger vs $122 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $472 vs $500 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

Stavanger vs Oslo: 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.

Stavanger pays 13% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Stavanger versus $1,671 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,744 per month in Stavanger versus $3,141 in Oslo – 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, Stavanger and Oslo 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.