NO flag
Stavanger

Norway

vs
NO flag
Trondheim

Norway

Climate

Stavanger logs 0 outdoor-dinner months a year to Trondheim's 1 — Trondheim wins by 1. Stavanger also leads on frost days by 91.

StavangerTrondheim
Sunny days
125101
Hot days
00
Frost days
22113
Rain days
214178
Snow days
340
Outdoor dinner months
0/121/12
Avg wind
4.7 m/s2.2 m/s
Sunshine hours
1,5971,400
Darkest month sun
16 hrs/mo0 hrs/mo
UV peak month
4.53.3

Stavanger

Feels-like °C

-9
-10
-5
1
6
14
14
14
10
2
-4
-9

Dinner outside

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Trondheim

Feels-like °C

-11
-9
-4
3
10
17
17
16
10
3
-5
-13

Dinner outside

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Cost of Living

Stavanger is $137/mo cheaper

Stavanger runs about $3,642/mo for a balanced lifestyle against Trondheim's $3,779/mo — Stavanger comes in $137 cheaper each month, roughly 4% less.

Stavanger

$3,642

monthly · balanced

Minimalist $2,700Comfort $5,505
Top 94%in Among 217 Europe cities

Trondheim

$3,779

monthly · balanced

Minimalist $2,802Comfort $5,681
Top 94%in Among 217 Europe cities

Mobility

Stavanger and Trondheim score neck-and-neck on mobility (3.2 vs 3.2, 0–5 scale).

3.2/5
vs
3.2/5
StavangerTrondheim
WalkabilityCyclingCar EfficiencyAirport
WalkabilityTransitCyclingCar EfficiencyAirport

Culture

Trondheim's culture score of 3.5 sits well above Stavanger's 2.3, with the biggest gap on arts & culture.

2.3/5
vs
3.5/5
StavangerTrondheim
Theatre
HistoryTheatreVenues
Trondheim leads

Nature & Outdoors

Stavanger and Trondheim score neck-and-neck on nature & outdoors (4.5 vs 4.7, 0–5 scale).

4.5/5
vs
4.7/5
StavangerTrondheim
SeaMountainsForestGreen AreasLakesRunningHikingCampingBeachSurfingDivingSkiingClimbing
SeaMountainsForestGreen AreasLakesRunningHikingCampingDivingSkiing
Trondheim leads

Safety

Stavanger and Trondheim score neck-and-neck on safety (5.0 vs 5.0, 0–5 scale).

5.0/5
vs
5.0/5

Career

Trondheim's career score of 3.2 sits well above Stavanger's 2.9, with the biggest gap on startup ecosystem. Stavanger still holds an edge on career opportunities.

2.9/5
vs
3.2/5
StavangerTrondheim
JobsEconomy
JobsStartupsCoworking
Trondheim leads

Social & Community

Trondheim's social & community score of 2.8 sits well above Stavanger's 2.6, with the biggest gap on urban energy. Stavanger still holds an edge on expat-first community.

2.6/5
vs
2.8/5
StavangerTrondheim
Everyday EnglishExpat-First CommunityGovernment Immigration FriendlinessAdmin English Support
Everyday EnglishUrban EnergyLocal-First CommunityGovernment Immigration FriendlinessAdmin English Support
Trondheim leads

Food & Dining

Stavanger and Trondheim score neck-and-neck on food & dining (2.8 vs 2.8, 0–5 scale).

2.8/5
vs
2.8/5
StavangerTrondheim
RestaurantsVeganDelivery
RestaurantsVeganDelivery

Family

On family, Trondheim scores 3.0 vs Stavanger's 2.7 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on universities. Stavanger still holds an edge on international schools.

2.7/5
vs
3.0/5
StavangerTrondheim
Intl SchoolsAmenitiesPlaygroundsGroceriesGym
UniversitiesAmenitiesPlaygroundsGroceriesGymYogaTennis
Trondheim leads

Healthcare

Stavanger and Trondheim score neck-and-neck on healthcare (3.4 vs 3.4, 0–5 scale).

3.4/5
vs
3.4/5
StavangerTrondheim
Public Healthcare
Public Healthcare

Air Quality

Stavanger averages 5.8 µg/m³ (good) PM2.5 annually versus Trondheim's 4.4 µg/m³ (excellent) — Trondheim breathes ~23% cleaner air (1.3 µg/m³ lower).

Stavanger

Trondheim

5.8µg/m³
4.4µg/m³

PM2.5 annual average

Good
Excellent

WHO classification

City Scale

Both maps at the same real-world scale — 1 cm on either map is the same distance.

Stavanger (206K) and Trondheim (142K) are 1.4x in population — Stavanger is the larger metro, Trondheim the smaller; on land area Stavanger spans roughly 1.4x more ground.

1.4x

Stavanger is roughly 1.4x the scale of Trondheim

Combined population & area comparison

NO flagStavanger
1.4x
NO flagTrondheim
1x

City Scale Rankings

Population
1.NO flagStavanger206K1.4x
2.NO flagTrondheim142K1x
Area
1.NO flagStavanger82 km²1.4x
2.NO flagTrondheim57 km²1x
© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
7.7 km22 km

NO flagStavanger

© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
9.8 km8.5 km

NO flagTrondheim

Who Thrives Here

Frequently asked about Stavanger vs Trondheim

Which is cheaper, Stavanger or Trondheim?
Stavanger is approximately $137 per month cheaper. Stavanger averages $3,642/mo while Trondheim averages $3,779/mo.
How does the climate compare between Stavanger and Trondheim?
Sunny days: 125 vs 101 d — Stavanger higher Annual sunshine: 1,597 vs 1,400 hrs — Stavanger higher Winter sunshine: 16 vs 0 hrs/day — Similar Hot days (>30°C): 0 vs 0 d — Similar Frost days: 22 vs 113 d — Stavanger lower Rainy days: 214 vs 178 d — Trondheim lower Snowy days: 3 vs 40 d — Stavanger lower
Is Stavanger or Trondheim safer?
Both cities have similar safety profiles, scoring around 5.0/5 on our aggregate safety index covering street safety, property crime, and natural hazards.
Should I move to Stavanger or Trondheim?
Stavanger and Trondheim are both popular relocation destinations with distinct characteristics. Stavanger is generally more affordable, while Trondheim may offer different lifestyle advantages. The best choice depends on your priorities — climate preferences, career opportunities, cost constraints, and lifestyle needs. Take the personalized quiz to find your ideal match, or explore the map to compare cities by region and lifestyle factors.

The best city depends on what matters to you

This comparison shows how Stavanger and Trondheim stack up on the data. But your climate preferences, budget, career needs, and lifestyle priorities can shift the picture entirely. A personalized diagnostic finds what fits your life.

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