Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Trondheim Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Trondheim

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Stavanger versus $2,776 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,070 in Stavanger versus $4,121 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,451 in Stavanger versus $5,465 in Trondheim.

Living in Stavanger costs roughly 3% less than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 100% above, Trondheim 107% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.39 NOK 241

$22.39 NOK 213

13.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,138

$119 NOK 1,131

0.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.31 NOK 145

$14.04 NOK 133

9.05%

Cappuccino

$5.03 NOK 47.77

$4.72 NOK 44.83

6.57%

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

$3.88 NOK 36.83

$3.62 NOK 34.35

7.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.89

$2.94 NOK 27.88

18.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.98 NOK 104

$10.68 NOK 101

2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.21 NOK 96.9

$11.73 NOK 111

-12.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 NOK 21.93

$2.64 NOK 25.03

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 NOK 29.59

$3.52 NOK 33.36

-11.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 NOK 43.48

$3.96 NOK 37.59

15.66%

Eggs

$4.48 NOK 42.52

$4.56 NOK 43.28

-1.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 NOK 122

$12.35 NOK 117

4.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.73 NOK 159

$15.21 NOK 144

9.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.83 NOK 264

$28.37 NOK 269

-1.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 33.01

$3.78 NOK 35.84

-7.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 NOK 25.03

$2.83 NOK 26.84

-6.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 NOK 29.53

$2.64 NOK 25.01

17.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 NOK 44.37

$5.31 NOK 50.4

-11.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 NOK 19.77

$2.87 NOK 27.27

-27.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 NOK 29.27

$3.18 NOK 30.19

-3.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 NOK 23.47

$3.24 NOK 30.73

-23.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.38

$2.52 NOK 23.97

-27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 NOK 142

$15.32 NOK 145

-2.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.46 NOK 175

$18.36 NOK 174

0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 NOK 34.89

$3.72 NOK 35.28

-1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 NOK 38.90

$4.83 NOK 45.88

-15.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 43.47

$4.75 NOK 45.11

-3.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.6 NOK 651

$93.7 NOK 889

-26.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.31 NOK 145

$14.89 NOK 141

2.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 NOK 19.57

$2.19 NOK 20.78

-5.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$100 NOK 953

$87.8 NOK 833

14.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 20.01

$2.22 NOK 21.08

-4.95%

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

$34.4K NOK 326.1K

$32.2K NOK 306.0K

6.54%

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

$32.4K NOK 307.3K

$42.5K NOK 403.0K

-23.75%

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

$190 NOK 1,806

$328 NOK 3,118

-42.08%

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

$42.20 NOK 401

$43.15 NOK 410

-2.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.1 NOK 789

$75.0 NOK 712

10.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 NOK 531

$42.27 NOK 401

32.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.16 NOK 334

$46.32 NOK 440

-24.09%

Cinema Ticket

$19.57 NOK 186

$17.14 NOK 163

14.18%

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

$321 NOK 3,048

$322 NOK 3,059

-0.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NOK 123.1K

$8,553 NOK 81.2K

51.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 NOK 1,098

$113 NOK 1,076

2.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 NOK 550

$47.89 NOK 455

21.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,017

$126 NOK 1,195

-14.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 NOK 1,519

$134 NOK 1,269

19.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

$1,396 NOK 13.2K

14.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 NOK 10.7K

$1,055 NOK 10.0K

6.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,732 NOK 25.9K

$2,233 NOK 21.2K

22.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 NOK 16.8K

$1,689 NOK 16.0K

5.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,036 NOK 57.3K

$6,157 NOK 58.4K

-1.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,366 NOK 50.9K

$4,848 NOK 46.0K

10.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,104 NOK 48.4K

$4,264 NOK 40.5K

19.71%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Stavanger and $1,396 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $120 in Stavanger vs $119 in Trondheim. Groceries flip the comparison at $473 vs $490, 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 Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stavanger is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Stavanger pays 20% 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: $1,595 in Stavanger versus $1,396 in Trondheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,689 per month in Stavanger versus $2,776 in Trondheim – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stavanger runs roughly 37% less than in Trondheim. 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 Trondheim, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Stavanger and Trondheim 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 3% less than in Trondheim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.