Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Tromso Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Tromso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,744 in Stavanger versus $2,929 in Tromso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,187 in Stavanger versus $4,342 in Tromso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,629 in Stavanger versus $5,756 in Tromso.

Living in Stavanger costs roughly 6% less than in Tromso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 105% above, Tromso 119% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.49 NOK 237

$32.45 NOK 301

-21.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,122

$121 NOK 1,124

-0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.31 NOK 142

$15.08 NOK 140

1.53%

Cappuccino

$5.17 NOK 48.03

$6.17 NOK 57.4

-16.21%

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

$4.04 NOK 37.57

$4.58 NOK 42.52

-11.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.20

$3.44 NOK 31.97

0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.15 NOK 104

$11.21 NOK 104

-0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.27 NOK 95.4

$11.08 NOK 103

-7.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 NOK 22.73

$2.42 NOK 22.45

1.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 NOK 28.03

$3.17 NOK 29.42

-4.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 NOK 42.38

$3.28 NOK 30.46

39.02%

Eggs

$4.46 NOK 41.46

$4.92 NOK 45.72

-9.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.11 NOK 122

$11.34 NOK 105

15.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.72 NOK 155

$15.48 NOK 144

8.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.15 NOK 252

$37.09 NOK 345

-26.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.26

$3.92 NOK 36.42

-8.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 23.80

$2.88 NOK 26.78

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 NOK 27.72

$3.75 NOK 34.82

-20.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 NOK 42.83

$5.12 NOK 47.54

-9.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NOK 19.42

$3.08 NOK 28.65

-32.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 NOK 28.70

$3.63 NOK 33.72

-14.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 NOK 23.27

$2.69 NOK 24.98

-7.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 NOK 16.81

$1.70 NOK 15.80

6.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.37 NOK 143

$15.05 NOK 140

2.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.14 NOK 178

$19.06 NOK 177

0.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.63 NOK 33.70

$3.64 NOK 33.78

-0.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 NOK 38.39

$4.54 NOK 42.14

-9.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.66 NOK 43.31

$4.79 NOK 44.49

-2.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.1 NOK 623

$59.6 NOK 553

12.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 NOK 139

$12.88 NOK 120

16.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 NOK 19.70

$1.13 NOK 10.46

87.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.8 NOK 927

$52.1 NOK 484

91.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 NOK 19.96

$2.11 NOK 19.63

1.90%

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

$34.0K NOK 315.8K

$32.6K NOK 302.8K

4.29%

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

$32.8K NOK 304.4K

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

-8.37%

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

$191 NOK 1,778

$245 NOK 2,279

-21.98%

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

$42.73 NOK 397

$48.71 NOK 453

-12.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.9 NOK 761

$77.2 NOK 717

6.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 NOK 519

$47.87 NOK 445

16.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.64 NOK 331

$39.54 NOK 367

-9.86%

Cinema Ticket

$19.51 NOK 181

$16.73 NOK 155

16.62%

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

$318 NOK 2,957

$336 NOK 3,118

-5.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NOK 118.6K

$7,362 NOK 68.4K

73.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 NOK 1,107

$87.7 NOK 815

35.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 NOK 542

$33.00 NOK 307

76.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NOK 981

$131 NOK 1,215

-19.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 NOK 1,460

$135 NOK 1,258

16.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 NOK 14.9K

$1,348 NOK 12.5K

18.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 NOK 10.4K

$1,268 NOK 11.8K

-12.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,756 NOK 25.6K

$2,614 NOK 24.3K

5.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 NOK 16.1K

$1,853 NOK 17.2K

-6.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,190 NOK 57.5K

$9,264 NOK 86.1K

-33.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,435 NOK 50.5K

$5,545 NOK 51.5K

-1.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,992 NOK 46.4K

$4,243 NOK 39.4K

17.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.27

5.62%

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

Last update for Stavanger: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tromso: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Stavanger and $1,348 in Tromso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 18% 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 $121 in Tromso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $472 vs $502 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 Tromso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stavanger is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Stavanger pays 18% 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 $1,348 in Tromso. 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 $2,929 in Tromso – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stavanger runs roughly 13% less than in Tromso. 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 Tromso, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Stavanger and Tromso 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 7% less than in Tromso. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.