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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Tromso is roughly 7% more expensive than Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.45 NOK 301

$25.49 NOK 237

27.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,124

$121 NOK 1,122

0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.08 NOK 140

$15.31 NOK 142

-1.50%

Cappuccino

$6.17 NOK 57.4

$5.17 NOK 48.03

19.34%

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

$4.58 NOK 42.52

$4.04 NOK 37.57

13.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 NOK 31.97

$3.47 NOK 32.20

-0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.21 NOK 104

$11.15 NOK 104

0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.08 NOK 103

$10.27 NOK 95.4

7.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 NOK 22.45

$2.45 NOK 22.73

-1.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 NOK 29.42

$3.02 NOK 28.03

4.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 NOK 30.46

$4.56 NOK 42.38

-28.07%

Eggs

$4.92 NOK 45.72

$4.46 NOK 41.46

10.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 NOK 105

$13.11 NOK 122

-13.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.48 NOK 144

$16.72 NOK 155

-7.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$37.09 NOK 345

$27.15 NOK 252

36.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 NOK 36.42

$3.58 NOK 33.26

9.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 26.78

$2.56 NOK 23.80

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 34.82

$2.98 NOK 27.72

25.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 NOK 47.54

$4.61 NOK 42.83

11.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 NOK 28.65

$2.09 NOK 19.42

47.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 NOK 33.72

$3.09 NOK 28.70

17.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 NOK 24.98

$2.50 NOK 23.27

7.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 NOK 15.80

$1.81 NOK 16.81

-6.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.05 NOK 140

$15.37 NOK 143

-2.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.06 NOK 177

$19.14 NOK 178

-0.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.64 NOK 33.78

$3.63 NOK 33.70

0.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 NOK 42.14

$4.13 NOK 38.39

9.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.79 NOK 44.49

$4.66 NOK 43.31

2.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 NOK 553

$67.1 NOK 623

-11.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.88 NOK 120

$14.97 NOK 139

-13.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 NOK 10.46

$2.12 NOK 19.70

-46.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.1 NOK 484

$99.8 NOK 927

-47.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 19.63

$2.15 NOK 19.96

-1.86%

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

$32.6K NOK 302.8K

$34.0K NOK 315.8K

-4.12%

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

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

$32.8K NOK 304.4K

9.13%

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

$245 NOK 2,279

$191 NOK 1,778

28.18%

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

$48.71 NOK 453

$42.73 NOK 397

13.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.2 NOK 717

$81.9 NOK 761

-5.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.87 NOK 445

$55.8 NOK 519

-14.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.54 NOK 367

$35.64 NOK 331

10.94%

Cinema Ticket

$16.73 NOK 155

$19.51 NOK 181

-14.25%

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

$336 NOK 3,118

$318 NOK 2,957

5.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,362 NOK 68.4K

$12.8K NOK 118.6K

-42.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 NOK 815

$119 NOK 1,107

-26.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.00 NOK 307

$58.3 NOK 542

-43.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 NOK 1,215

$106 NOK 981

23.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 NOK 1,258

$157 NOK 1,460

-13.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 NOK 12.5K

$1,604 NOK 14.9K

-15.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 NOK 11.8K

$1,115 NOK 10.4K

13.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,614 NOK 24.3K

$2,756 NOK 25.6K

-5.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,853 NOK 17.2K

$1,738 NOK 16.1K

6.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,264 NOK 86.1K

$6,190 NOK 57.5K

49.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,545 NOK 51.5K

$5,435 NOK 50.5K

2.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,243 NOK 39.4K

$4,992 NOK 46.4K

-15.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.51

-5.32%

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

Last update for Tromso: June 1, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,348 in Tromso and $1,604 in Stavanger. 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 Tromso vs $121 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $502 vs $472, 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

Tromso vs Stavanger: 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.

On paper, Stavanger earns 18% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,348 in Tromso versus $1,604 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,929 per month in Tromso versus $2,744 in Stavanger – 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, Tromso and Stavanger 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.