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: $2,773 in Stavanger versus $3,203 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,121 in Stavanger versus $4,686 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,469 in Stavanger versus $6,170 in Oslo.

Living in Stavanger costs roughly 13% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 108% above, Oslo 140% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.15 NOK 243

$25.37 NOK 245

-0.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 NOK 1,196

$120 NOK 1,164

2.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.47 NOK 150

$14.96 NOK 145

3.41%

Cappuccino

$5.09 NOK 49.21

$5.08 NOK 49.07

0.20%

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

$3.97 NOK 38.36

$4.10 NOK 39.66

-3.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 NOK 33.08

$3.19 NOK 30.85

7.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.30 NOK 109

$12.37 NOK 120

-8.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.04 NOK 97.0

$11.03 NOK 107

-8.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 NOK 23.52

$2.40 NOK 23.24

1.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 NOK 29.36

$4.03 NOK 39.00

-24.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 NOK 43.49

$3.67 NOK 35.50

22.62%

Eggs

$4.44 NOK 42.90

$4.95 NOK 47.82

-10.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.96 NOK 125

$13.66 NOK 132

-5.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.11 NOK 156

$16.41 NOK 159

-1.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.22 NOK 263

$31.39 NOK 303

-13.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 NOK 33.57

$3.60 NOK 34.85

-3.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 NOK 24.51

$2.63 NOK 25.44

-3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NOK 29.99

$3.45 NOK 33.39

-10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 NOK 46.01

$5.07 NOK 48.98

-6.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 NOK 20.84

$2.51 NOK 24.22

-13.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 NOK 29.84

$2.71 NOK 26.22

14.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 NOK 25.18

$2.78 NOK 26.83

-6.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 NOK 16.83

$2.41 NOK 23.25

-27.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.94 NOK 144

$17.46 NOK 169

-14.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.99 NOK 174

$18.64 NOK 180

-3.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 NOK 33.76

$3.41 NOK 33.00

2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 NOK 40.03

$4.35 NOK 42.06

-4.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.67 NOK 45.14

$4.18 NOK 40.44

11.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.4 NOK 661

$79.6 NOK 769

-14.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 NOK 145

$10.20 NOK 98.6

47.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 NOK 20.82

$1.41 NOK 13.60

52.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$101 NOK 978

$41.75 NOK 404

142.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 21.06

$2.27 NOK 21.96

-3.96%

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

$34.5K NOK 333.4K

$36.7K NOK 354.3K

-5.91%

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

$33.2K NOK 320.6K

$42.3K NOK 409.3K

-21.66%

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

$191 NOK 1,846

$296 NOK 2,863

-35.50%

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

$43.05 NOK 416

$31.29 NOK 302

37.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.9 NOK 792

$55.5 NOK 536

47.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 NOK 541

$57.4 NOK 554

-2.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.99 NOK 338

$28.40 NOK 275

23.20%

Cinema Ticket

$19.39 NOK 187

$18.01 NOK 174

7.66%

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

$315 NOK 3,046

$274 NOK 2,653

14.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NOK 123.6K

$14.7K NOK 141.9K

-12.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 NOK 1,155

$103 NOK 999

15.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 NOK 578

$64.5 NOK 623

-7.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,031

$121 NOK 1,169

-11.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,556

$168 NOK 1,620

-3.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 NOK 15.6K

$1,700 NOK 16.4K

-4.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 NOK 11.0K

$1,441 NOK 13.9K

-21.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,719 NOK 26.3K

$2,677 NOK 25.9K

1.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 NOK 16.8K

$2,180 NOK 21.1K

-20.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,982 NOK 57.8K

$11.5K NOK 111.3K

-48.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,156 NOK 49.8K

$6,961 NOK 67.3K

-25.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,945 NOK 47.8K

$4,256 NOK 41.1K

16.20%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Oslo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,617 in Stavanger and $1,700 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $124 in Stavanger vs $120 in Oslo. Groceries flip the comparison at $466 vs $505, with Stavanger cheaper for home cooking.

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 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Stavanger, 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: $1,617 in Stavanger versus $1,700 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,773 per month in Stavanger versus $3,203 in Oslo – a 16% 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 16% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.