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: $3,202 in Stavanger versus $3,009 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,642 in Stavanger versus $4,335 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,082 in Stavanger versus $5,661 in Trondheim.

Living in Stavanger is roughly 6% more expensive than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stavanger 134% above, Trondheim 120% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.74 NOK 243

$20.98 NOK 198

22.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.4 NOK 917

$110 NOK 1,036

-11.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.15 NOK 152

$15.84 NOK 149

1.96%

Cappuccino

$6.37 NOK 60.0

$5.62 NOK 52.9

13.35%

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

$5.34 NOK 50.3

$5.77 NOK 54.4

-7.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 NOK 41.75

$4.37 NOK 41.15

1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.88 NOK 131

$13.62 NOK 128

1.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.16 NOK 115

$13.21 NOK 124

-7.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 NOK 23.55

$2.59 NOK 24.38

-3.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 NOK 33.96

$3.55 NOK 33.49

1.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 NOK 37.33

$3.90 NOK 36.79

1.54%

Eggs

$5.05 NOK 47.55

$4.88 NOK 46.01

3.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.10 NOK 142

$13.49 NOK 127

11.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.22 NOK 162

$16.46 NOK 155

4.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.93 NOK 339

$32.40 NOK 305

10.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 NOK 34.97

$3.89 NOK 36.66

-4.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 NOK 26.20

$2.94 NOK 27.67

-5.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.49 NOK 32.84

$4.00 NOK 37.69

-12.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 NOK 47.53

$5.77 NOK 54.3

-12.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 23.69

$2.89 NOK 27.23

-13.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 NOK 29.43

$3.14 NOK 29.57

-0.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 NOK 27.45

$2.87 NOK 27.07

1.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 NOK 22.84

$2.25 NOK 21.23

7.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.89 NOK 169

$18.01 NOK 170

-0.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.83 NOK 177

$19.22 NOK 181

-2.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 NOK 37.16

$3.54 NOK 33.33

11.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 NOK 42.46

$4.69 NOK 44.19

-3.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.82 NOK 45.41

$4.88 NOK 46.00

-1.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 NOK 824

$102 NOK 963

-14.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.37 NOK 60.0

$9.49 NOK 89.4

-32.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 NOK 16.18

$1.61 NOK 15.15

6.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$106 NOK 1,003

$61.3 NOK 577

73.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 21.21

$2.38 NOK 22.41

-5.46%

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

$49.6K NOK 467.6K

$47.1K NOK 444.0K

5.32%

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

$42.3K NOK 398.5K

$46.4K NOK 437.1K

-8.84%

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

$251 NOK 2,362

$282 NOK 2,655

-11.04%

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

$35.70 NOK 336

$36.46 NOK 344

-2.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.6 NOK 788

$83.6 NOK 787

0.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 NOK 495

$44.16 NOK 416

18.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.19 NOK 350

$41.28 NOK 389

-9.91%

Cinema Ticket

$22.57 NOK 213

$21.08 NOK 199

7.07%

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

$330 NOK 3,112

$304 NOK 2,861

8.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NOK 136.6K

$4,455 NOK 42.0K

225.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$131 NOK 1,230

$110 NOK 1,040

18.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 NOK 574

$52.7 NOK 496

15.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$158 NOK 1,492

$124 NOK 1,172

27.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$210 NOK 1,978

$158 NOK 1,485

33.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 NOK 16.1K

$1,496 NOK 14.1K

14.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 NOK 13.1K

$1,236 NOK 11.6K

12.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 NOK 26.3K

$2,253 NOK 21.2K

24.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 NOK 19.6K

$1,690 NOK 15.9K

23.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,179 NOK 58.2K

$6,555 NOK 61.8K

-5.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,479 NOK 51.6K

$5,105 NOK 48.1K

7.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,006 NOK 47.2K

$4,338 NOK 40.9K

15.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

5.32

-0.94%

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

Last update for Stavanger: September 14, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,708 in Stavanger and $1,496 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 15% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $97.0 in Stavanger vs $110 in Trondheim. Groceries flip the comparison at $532 vs $517, with Trondheim 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

Trondheim is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $1,708 in Stavanger versus $1,496 in Trondheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,202 per month in Stavanger versus $3,009 in Trondheim – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Trondheim runs roughly 17% less than in Stavanger. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Trondheim is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Trondheim is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Stavanger, 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 Trondheim gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.