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: $2,699 in Stavanger versus $2,745 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,150 in Stavanger versus $4,170 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,601 in Stavanger versus $5,595 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 103% above, Trondheim 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.22 NOK 239

$22.21 NOK 211

13.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,167

$123 NOK 1,162

0.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.08 NOK 143

$14.44 NOK 137

4.43%

Cappuccino

$5.02 NOK 47.61

$4.82 NOK 45.75

4.15%

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

$3.89 NOK 36.85

$3.67 NOK 34.84

5.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 NOK 32.26

$2.99 NOK 28.34

13.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 NOK 104

$10.80 NOK 102

1.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.26 NOK 97.3

$11.45 NOK 109

-10.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 22.72

$2.51 NOK 23.79

-4.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 NOK 29.46

$3.65 NOK 34.58

-14.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 NOK 44.03

$3.86 NOK 36.62

20.21%

Eggs

$4.52 NOK 42.88

$4.59 NOK 43.49

-1.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 NOK 123

$12.21 NOK 116

6.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.24 NOK 154

$14.92 NOK 141

8.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.67 NOK 262

$28.37 NOK 269

-2.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.45

$3.77 NOK 35.76

-6.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 23.92

$2.97 NOK 28.21

-15.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 NOK 28.94

$2.64 NOK 25.00

15.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 NOK 44.17

$5.01 NOK 47.50

-6.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NOK 19.44

$2.97 NOK 28.20

-30.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 NOK 28.86

$3.22 NOK 30.53

-5.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 NOK 24.47

$3.20 NOK 30.33

-19.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NOK 16.56

$2.50 NOK 23.68

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.11 NOK 143

$15.41 NOK 146

-1.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.96 NOK 170

$18.42 NOK 175

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 NOK 33.60

$3.66 NOK 34.68

-3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 NOK 38.69

$4.84 NOK 45.87

-15.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 43.44

$4.57 NOK 43.37

0.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.1 NOK 656

$93.7 NOK 889

-26.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.37 NOK 146

$15.40 NOK 146

-0.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 NOK 19.62

$2.26 NOK 21.40

-8.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$103 NOK 972

$89.5 NOK 848

14.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 20.92

$2.12 NOK 20.06

4.25%

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

$34.7K NOK 329.2K

$32.4K NOK 306.8K

7.29%

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

$32.7K NOK 310.2K

$43.1K NOK 409.0K

-24.15%

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

$192 NOK 1,821

$323 NOK 3,059

-40.46%

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

$42.41 NOK 402

$43.23 NOK 410

-1.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 NOK 767

$76.7 NOK 727

5.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 NOK 529

$42.53 NOK 403

31.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.17 NOK 333

$46.79 NOK 444

-24.83%

Cinema Ticket

$19.02 NOK 180

$17.26 NOK 164

10.20%

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

$314 NOK 2,975

$321 NOK 3,044

-2.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 122.1K

$8,375 NOK 79.4K

53.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 NOK 1,096

$110 NOK 1,044

4.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 NOK 553

$47.48 NOK 450

22.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,018

$128 NOK 1,214

-16.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 NOK 1,493

$132 NOK 1,248

19.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

$1,371 NOK 13.0K

16.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 NOK 10.8K

$1,079 NOK 10.2K

5.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 NOK 26.5K

$2,269 NOK 21.5K

23.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 NOK 16.9K

$1,685 NOK 16.0K

5.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,005 NOK 56.9K

$6,109 NOK 57.9K

-1.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,223 NOK 49.5K

$4,952 NOK 47.0K

5.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,909 NOK 46.6K

$4,148 NOK 39.3K

18.36%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Stavanger and $1,371 in Trondheim. 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: $123 in Stavanger vs $123 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $468 vs $487 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.

Average pay runs 18% 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: $1,595 in Stavanger versus $1,371 in Trondheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,699 per month in Stavanger versus $2,745 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 36% 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.