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: $2,965 in Tromso versus $2,773 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,410 in Tromso versus $4,121 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,854 in Tromso versus $5,469 in Stavanger.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tromso 122% above, Stavanger 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$33.12 NOK 319

$25.15 NOK 243

31.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,163

$124 NOK 1,193

-2.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.95 NOK 144

$15.47 NOK 149

-3.36%

Cappuccino

$6.11 NOK 59.0

$5.09 NOK 49.08

20.04%

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

$4.51 NOK 43.52

$3.97 NOK 38.27

13.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 NOK 32.38

$3.42 NOK 32.99

-1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.31 NOK 109

$11.30 NOK 109

0.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.00 NOK 106

$10.04 NOK 96.8

9.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 NOK 24.05

$2.43 NOK 23.46

2.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 NOK 30.77

$3.04 NOK 29.28

4.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.47 NOK 33.46

$4.50 NOK 43.38

-22.89%

Eggs

$4.86 NOK 46.89

$4.44 NOK 42.80

9.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.61 NOK 112

$12.96 NOK 125

-10.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.21 NOK 147

$16.11 NOK 155

-5.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$37.68 NOK 363

$27.22 NOK 262

38.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 NOK 37.18

$3.47 NOK 33.48

11.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 NOK 27.12

$2.54 NOK 24.45

10.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 NOK 34.38

$3.10 NOK 29.92

14.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 NOK 49.72

$4.76 NOK 45.89

8.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 NOK 28.77

$2.16 NOK 20.79

37.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.56 NOK 34.33

$3.09 NOK 29.77

15.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 NOK 25.87

$2.61 NOK 25.12

2.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NOK 16.90

$1.74 NOK 16.78

0.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.11 NOK 146

$14.94 NOK 144

1.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.35 NOK 177

$17.99 NOK 173

2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.64 NOK 35.06

$3.49 NOK 33.68

4.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 NOK 43.83

$4.14 NOK 39.93

9.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.69 NOK 45.20

$4.67 NOK 45.02

0.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 NOK 574

$68.4 NOK 660

-13.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.71 NOK 123

$15.04 NOK 145

-15.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 NOK 10.48

$2.15 NOK 20.77

-49.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.8 NOK 490

$101 NOK 976

-49.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 NOK 21.54

$2.18 NOK 21.00

2.29%

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

$33.1K NOK 319.0K

$34.5K NOK 332.5K

-4.08%

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

$36.6K NOK 352.8K

$33.2K NOK 319.8K

10.30%

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

$252 NOK 2,428

$191 NOK 1,842

31.83%

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

$47.54 NOK 458

$43.05 NOK 415

10.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 NOK 732

$81.9 NOK 790

-7.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.75 NOK 460

$56.0 NOK 540

-14.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.56 NOK 381

$34.99 NOK 337

13.06%

Cinema Ticket

$16.45 NOK 159

$19.39 NOK 187

-15.16%

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

$334 NOK 3,216

$315 NOK 3,038

5.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,348 NOK 70.9K

$12.8K NOK 123.3K

-42.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.0 NOK 878

$119 NOK 1,152

-23.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.49 NOK 323

$59.8 NOK 576

-43.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NOK 1,288

$107 NOK 1,029

25.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 NOK 1,279

$161 NOK 1,552

-17.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 NOK 13.0K

$1,617 NOK 15.6K

-16.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 NOK 12.1K

$1,134 NOK 10.9K

10.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,549 NOK 24.6K

$2,719 NOK 26.2K

-6.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,815 NOK 17.5K

$1,738 NOK 16.8K

4.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,817 NOK 85.0K

$5,982 NOK 57.7K

47.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,188 NOK 50.0K

$5,156 NOK 49.7K

0.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,066 NOK 39.2K

$4,945 NOK 47.7K

-17.77%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,352 in Tromso and $1,617 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 22% 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 $124 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $502 vs $466, 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. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Stavanger. 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: $1,352 in Tromso versus $1,617 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,965 per month in Tromso versus $2,773 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 15% 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.