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: $2,773 in Stavanger versus $2,820 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,172 in Stavanger versus $4,233 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,570 in Stavanger versus $5,647 in Trondheim.

Living in Stavanger costs roughly 2% less than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 108% above, Trondheim 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.16 NOK 238

$22.46 NOK 213

12.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,137

$121 NOK 1,142

-0.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 NOK 141

$14.03 NOK 133

6.06%

Cappuccino

$5.21 NOK 49.33

$4.75 NOK 45.01

9.68%

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

$3.91 NOK 37.04

$3.53 NOK 33.44

10.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.75

$2.90 NOK 27.46

15.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.96 NOK 104

$10.83 NOK 103

1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.32 NOK 97.8

$11.73 NOK 111

-12.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 NOK 22.21

$2.54 NOK 24.01

-7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 NOK 29.78

$3.55 NOK 33.62

-11.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 NOK 42.15

$3.77 NOK 35.67

18.04%

Eggs

$4.47 NOK 42.30

$4.66 NOK 44.09

-4.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.02 NOK 123

$12.28 NOK 116

6.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.38 NOK 155

$15.03 NOK 142

8.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.93 NOK 265

$28.68 NOK 272

-2.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 NOK 34.00

$3.92 NOK 37.13

-8.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 24.13

$2.98 NOK 28.23

-14.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 NOK 28.99

$2.65 NOK 25.14

15.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 NOK 44.89

$5.28 NOK 50.0

-10.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 NOK 20.36

$3.05 NOK 28.86

-29.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 NOK 27.57

$3.22 NOK 30.54

-9.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 NOK 23.96

$3.15 NOK 29.82

-19.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 NOK 16.51

$2.48 NOK 23.46

-29.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 NOK 142

$15.22 NOK 144

-1.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.43 NOK 175

$18.70 NOK 177

-1.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 34.32

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 NOK 39.23

$4.62 NOK 43.76

-10.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.45 NOK 42.11

$4.75 NOK 45.03

-6.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 NOK 645

$94.2 NOK 892

-27.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.31 NOK 145

$15.30 NOK 145

0.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 NOK 20.21

$2.28 NOK 21.63

-6.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$100 NOK 951

$87.9 NOK 833

14.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 NOK 21.07

$2.25 NOK 21.27

-1.33%

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

$34.2K NOK 324.3K

$31.4K NOK 297.8K

8.89%

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

$33.3K NOK 315.6K

$42.4K NOK 401.5K

-21.39%

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

$191 NOK 1,812

$321 NOK 3,037

-40.34%

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

$42.07 NOK 398

$41.79 NOK 396

0.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.5 NOK 772

$76.7 NOK 726

6.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 NOK 530

$43.45 NOK 412

28.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.10 NOK 332

$46.26 NOK 438

-24.12%

Cinema Ticket

$18.95 NOK 180

$17.34 NOK 164

9.28%

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

$314 NOK 2,976

$331 NOK 3,136

-5.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NOK 121.5K

$8,613 NOK 81.6K

48.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 NOK 1,110

$111 NOK 1,055

5.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 NOK 569

$49.27 NOK 467

21.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NOK 994

$128 NOK 1,209

-17.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 NOK 1,480

$130 NOK 1,233

19.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 NOK 15.1K

$1,364 NOK 12.9K

16.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 NOK 10.9K

$1,074 NOK 10.2K

6.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,775 NOK 26.3K

$2,211 NOK 20.9K

25.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 NOK 16.8K

$1,677 NOK 15.9K

5.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,070 NOK 57.5K

$6,258 NOK 59.3K

-3.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 NOK 49.0K

$4,944 NOK 46.8K

4.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,897 NOK 46.4K

$4,271 NOK 40.5K

14.67%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,591 in Stavanger and $1,364 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 15% 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 $121 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $471 vs $490 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 Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stavanger is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Stavanger pays 15% 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: $1,591 in Stavanger versus $1,364 in Trondheim. 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 $2,820 in Trondheim – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stavanger runs roughly 38% 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 2% less than in Trondheim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.