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: $2,820 in Trondheim versus $2,773 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,233 in Trondheim versus $4,172 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,647 in Trondheim versus $5,570 in Stavanger.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Trondheim 112% above, Stavanger 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.46 NOK 213

$25.16 NOK 238

-10.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,142

$120 NOK 1,137

0.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.03 NOK 133

$14.88 NOK 141

-5.71%

Cappuccino

$4.75 NOK 45.01

$5.21 NOK 49.33

-8.83%

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

$3.53 NOK 33.44

$3.91 NOK 37.04

-9.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 NOK 27.46

$3.35 NOK 31.75

-13.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.83 NOK 103

$10.96 NOK 104

-1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.73 NOK 111

$10.32 NOK 97.8

13.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.54 NOK 24.01

$2.34 NOK 22.21

8.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 NOK 33.62

$3.14 NOK 29.78

13.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 NOK 35.67

$4.45 NOK 42.15

-15.28%

Eggs

$4.66 NOK 44.09

$4.47 NOK 42.30

4.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 NOK 116

$13.02 NOK 123

-5.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.03 NOK 142

$16.38 NOK 155

-8.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.68 NOK 272

$27.93 NOK 265

2.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 NOK 37.13

$3.59 NOK 34.00

9.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 NOK 28.23

$2.55 NOK 24.13

16.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 NOK 25.14

$3.06 NOK 28.99

-13.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.28 NOK 50.0

$4.74 NOK 44.89

11.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 NOK 28.86

$2.15 NOK 20.36

41.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 NOK 30.54

$2.91 NOK 27.57

10.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 NOK 29.82

$2.53 NOK 23.96

24.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 NOK 23.46

$1.74 NOK 16.51

42.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.22 NOK 144

$14.98 NOK 142

1.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.70 NOK 177

$18.43 NOK 175

1.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 34.32

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 NOK 43.76

$4.14 NOK 39.23

11.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.75 NOK 45.03

$4.45 NOK 42.11

6.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.2 NOK 892

$68.1 NOK 645

38.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.30 NOK 145

$15.31 NOK 145

-0.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 NOK 21.63

$2.13 NOK 20.21

7.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.9 NOK 833

$100 NOK 951

-12.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 21.27

$2.22 NOK 21.07

1.35%

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

$31.4K NOK 297.8K

$34.2K NOK 324.3K

-8.16%

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

$42.4K NOK 401.5K

$33.3K NOK 315.6K

27.21%

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

$321 NOK 3,037

$191 NOK 1,812

67.61%

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

$41.79 NOK 396

$42.07 NOK 398

-0.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.7 NOK 726

$81.5 NOK 772

-5.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.45 NOK 412

$55.9 NOK 530

-22.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.26 NOK 438

$35.10 NOK 332

31.79%

Cinema Ticket

$17.34 NOK 164

$18.95 NOK 180

-8.50%

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

$331 NOK 3,136

$314 NOK 2,976

5.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,613 NOK 81.6K

$12.8K NOK 121.5K

-32.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 NOK 1,055

$117 NOK 1,110

-4.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.27 NOK 467

$60.1 NOK 569

-17.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 NOK 1,209

$105 NOK 994

21.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 NOK 1,233

$156 NOK 1,480

-16.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,364 NOK 12.9K

$1,591 NOK 15.1K

-14.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 NOK 10.2K

$1,148 NOK 10.9K

-6.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,211 NOK 20.9K

$2,775 NOK 26.3K

-20.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 NOK 15.9K

$1,773 NOK 16.8K

-5.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,258 NOK 59.3K

$6,070 NOK 57.5K

3.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,944 NOK 46.8K

$5,176 NOK 49.0K

-4.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,271 NOK 40.5K

$4,897 NOK 46.4K

-12.79%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,364 in Trondheim and $1,591 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 15% 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 Trondheim vs $120 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $490 vs $471 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

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, Stavanger earns 15% 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: $1,364 in Trondheim versus $1,591 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,820 per month in Trondheim versus $2,773 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 38% 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.