Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,745 in Trondheim versus $2,699 in Stavanger.

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

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

Living in Trondheim is roughly 2% more expensive than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Trondheim 106% above, Stavanger 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.21 NOK 211

$25.22 NOK 239

-11.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,162

$123 NOK 1,167

-0.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.44 NOK 137

$15.08 NOK 143

-4.24%

Cappuccino

$4.82 NOK 45.75

$5.02 NOK 47.61

-3.98%

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

$3.67 NOK 34.84

$3.89 NOK 36.85

-5.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 NOK 28.34

$3.40 NOK 32.26

-12.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.80 NOK 102

$10.99 NOK 104

-1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.45 NOK 109

$10.26 NOK 97.3

11.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 NOK 23.79

$2.40 NOK 22.72

4.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 NOK 34.58

$3.11 NOK 29.46

17.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.86 NOK 36.62

$4.64 NOK 44.03

-16.81%

Eggs

$4.59 NOK 43.49

$4.52 NOK 42.88

1.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.21 NOK 116

$12.98 NOK 123

-5.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.92 NOK 141

$16.24 NOK 154

-8.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.37 NOK 269

$27.67 NOK 262

2.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 NOK 35.76

$3.53 NOK 33.45

6.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 NOK 28.21

$2.52 NOK 23.92

17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 NOK 25.00

$3.05 NOK 28.94

-13.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.01 NOK 47.50

$4.66 NOK 44.17

7.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 NOK 28.20

$2.05 NOK 19.44

44.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 NOK 30.53

$3.04 NOK 28.86

5.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.20 NOK 30.33

$2.58 NOK 24.47

24.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 NOK 23.68

$1.75 NOK 16.56

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.41 NOK 146

$15.11 NOK 143

1.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 NOK 175

$17.96 NOK 170

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 NOK 34.68

$3.54 NOK 33.60

3.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 NOK 45.87

$4.08 NOK 38.69

18.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.57 NOK 43.37

$4.58 NOK 43.44

-0.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.7 NOK 889

$69.1 NOK 656

35.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.40 NOK 146

$15.37 NOK 146

0.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 NOK 21.40

$2.07 NOK 19.62

9.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.5 NOK 848

$103 NOK 972

-12.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 20.06

$2.21 NOK 20.92

-4.07%

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

$32.4K NOK 306.8K

$34.7K NOK 329.2K

-6.80%

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

$43.1K NOK 409.0K

$32.7K NOK 310.2K

31.84%

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

$323 NOK 3,059

$192 NOK 1,821

67.95%

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

$43.23 NOK 410

$42.41 NOK 402

1.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.7 NOK 727

$80.9 NOK 767

-5.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.53 NOK 403

$55.8 NOK 529

-23.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.79 NOK 444

$35.17 NOK 333

33.04%

Cinema Ticket

$17.26 NOK 164

$19.02 NOK 180

-9.25%

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

$321 NOK 3,044

$314 NOK 2,975

2.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,375 NOK 79.4K

$12.9K NOK 122.1K

-34.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 NOK 1,044

$116 NOK 1,096

-4.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.48 NOK 450

$58.4 NOK 553

-18.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 NOK 1,214

$107 NOK 1,018

19.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 NOK 1,248

$157 NOK 1,493

-16.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 NOK 13.0K

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

-14.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 NOK 10.2K

$1,135 NOK 10.8K

-5.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,269 NOK 21.5K

$2,798 NOK 26.5K

-18.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 NOK 16.0K

$1,777 NOK 16.9K

-5.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,109 NOK 57.9K

$6,005 NOK 56.9K

1.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,952 NOK 47.0K

$5,223 NOK 49.5K

-5.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,148 NOK 39.3K

$4,909 NOK 46.6K

-15.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

4.51

-4.21%

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

Last update for Trondheim: July 26, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,371 in Trondheim and $1,595 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: $123 in Trondheim vs $123 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $487 vs $468, 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

Trondheim vs Stavanger: 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.

On paper, salaries run 18% 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: $1,371 in Trondheim versus $1,595 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,745 per month in Trondheim versus $2,699 in Stavanger – 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, Trondheim 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 2% less than in Trondheim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.