Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Stavanger

For one person, living is cheaper in Trondheim: $3,027 a month against $3,248 in Stavanger, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Trondheim, Norway
Stavanger, Norway
Trondheim
🇳🇴 Norway
$3,027
/mo nomad
Stavanger
🇳🇴 Norway
$3,248
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Trondheim and in Stavanger

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Trondheim and in Stavanger actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,027 in Trondheim versus $3,248 in Stavanger.

  • Trondheim $3,027
  • Stavanger $3,248

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,390 in Trondheim versus $4,717 in Stavanger.

  • Trondheim $4,390
  • Stavanger $4,717

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,752 in Trondheim versus $6,186 in Stavanger.

  • Trondheim $5,752
  • Stavanger $6,186

Living in Trondheim costs roughly 7% less than in Stavanger, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Trondheim 122% above, Stavanger 139% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Trondheim
Stavanger
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.10 NOK 194
$24.67 NOK 227
-14.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$108 NOK 996
$98.0 NOK 900
10.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.26 NOK 149
$16.23 NOK 149
0.18%
Cappuccino
$5.58 NOK 51.3
$6.22 NOK 57.1
-10.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.90 NOK 54.2
$5.89 NOK 54.1
0.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.40 NOK 40.38
$4.53 NOK 41.60
-2.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$13.21 NOK 121
$13.76 NOK 126
-4.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$13.16 NOK 121
$10.62 NOK 97.6
23.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Trondheim
Stavanger
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.52 NOK 23.12
$2.53 NOK 23.22
-0.40%
White Bread (500g)
$3.55 NOK 32.58
$3.52 NOK 32.32
0.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.83 NOK 35.20
$3.98 NOK 36.53
-3.77%
Eggs
$5.01 NOK 45.98
$4.75 NOK 43.68
5.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.20 NOK 121
$15.22 NOK 140
-13.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.00 NOK 156
$17.54 NOK 161
-3.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$32.32 NOK 297
$36.16 NOK 332
-10.62%
Apples (1kg)
$4.01 NOK 36.84
$3.53 NOK 32.44
13.60%
Banana (1kg)
$3.05 NOK 28.04
$2.86 NOK 26.25
6.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.87 NOK 35.57
$3.62 NOK 33.25
6.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.60 NOK 51.4
$4.93 NOK 45.29
13.59%
Potato (1kg)
$2.98 NOK 27.36
$2.55 NOK 23.46
16.86%
Onion (1kg)
$3.03 NOK 27.86
$3.11 NOK 28.58
-2.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.98 NOK 27.35
$2.90 NOK 26.61
2.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 NOK 21.63
$2.33 NOK 21.41
0.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.01 NOK 165
$18.27 NOK 168
-1.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.61 NOK 171
$18.94 NOK 174
-1.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.68 NOK 33.80
$3.80 NOK 34.94
-3.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 NOK 41.59
$4.51 NOK 41.44
0.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Trondheim
Stavanger
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.86 NOK 44.61
$4.75 NOK 43.60
2.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$102 NOK 940
$85.4 NOK 785
19.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.63 NOK 88.5
$6.27 NOK 57.6
53.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 NOK 15.09
$1.80 NOK 16.54
-8.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$61.7 NOK 567
$106 NOK 972
-41.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.54 NOK 23.34
$2.46 NOK 22.64
3.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$46.3K NOK 425.6K
$49.1K NOK 451.1K
-5.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.2K NOK 424.2K
$42.2K NOK 387.8K
9.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Trondheim
Stavanger
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$281 NOK 2,579
$260 NOK 2,385
8.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.31 NOK 334
$33.92 NOK 312
7.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$84.9 NOK 780
$79.9 NOK 734
6.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Trondheim
Stavanger
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.31 NOK 416
$52.0 NOK 477
-12.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$40.99 NOK 377
$37.64 NOK 346
8.90%
Cinema Ticket
$19.70 NOK 181
$22.16 NOK 204
-11.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Trondheim
Stavanger
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 NOK 2,798
$325 NOK 2,990
-6.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,591 NOK 42.2K
$14.3K NOK 131.7K
-67.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Trondheim
Stavanger
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$109 NOK 998
$130 NOK 1,191
-16.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.4 NOK 472
$61.9 NOK 569
-17.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 NOK 1,112
$151 NOK 1,386
-19.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$158 NOK 1,455
$206 NOK 1,890
-22.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Trondheim
Stavanger
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,635 NOK 15.0K
$1,805 NOK 16.6K
-9.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,266 NOK 11.6K
$1,429 NOK 13.1K
-11.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,320 NOK 21.3K
$2,895 NOK 26.6K
-19.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,817 NOK 16.7K
$2,145 NOK 19.7K
-15.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,610 NOK 60.7K
$6,468 NOK 59.4K
2.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,997 NOK 45.9K
$5,430 NOK 49.9K
-7.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Trondheim
Stavanger
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,392 NOK 40.3K
$5,086 NOK 46.7K
-13.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.32
5.24
1.53%

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

Last update for Trondheim: October 26, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Trondheim
$1.3K
Stavanger
$1.4K 12.9% $163
Groceries & Markets
Trondheim
$519
Stavanger
$530 2.2% $11
Eating Out
Trondheim
$418
Stavanger
$452 8.2% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Trondheim
$402
Stavanger
$373 7.1% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Trondheim
$198
Stavanger
$247 24.7% $49
Getting Around
Trondheim
$140
Stavanger
$120 14.2% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Trondheim
$85
Stavanger
$96 13.6% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,635 in Trondheim and $1,805 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 16% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $108 in Trondheim vs $98 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $519 vs $530, with Trondheim cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Trondheim
🇳🇴 Stavanger
🕒 Local time
11:15 11:15 AM
11:15 11:15 AM
Same time as Trondheim
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
215,121
149,330
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 9.19 NOK (1 NOK = 0.109 USD). 1 EUR = 10.26 NOK (100 NOK = 9.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Trondheim Stavanger 560 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Trondheim
  • Stavanger

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Trondheim vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Trondheim cheaper than Stavanger?
Trondheim is about 7% cheaper overall, especially in clothing, eating out, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Trondheim or Stavanger?
On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Trondheim. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Trondheim and Stavanger?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,635 in Trondheim versus $1,805 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $305 in Trondheim versus $325 in Stavanger. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Trondheim or in Stavanger?
Dining out is cheaper in Stavanger – a meal for two runs $98 versus $108 in Trondheim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $3,000 enough to cover costs in Trondheim or in Stavanger?
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.
Is Trondheim or Stavanger more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Trondheim or Stavanger?
Safety-wise, Trondheim and Stavanger are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Trondheim wins on affordability, Stavanger on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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