Stavanger housing and COLA at a glance
Stavanger (incl Sola AS), Norway (DoD locality NO021). DTMO files this place under the same locality, so the same rates apply: Sola AS.
An E-5 with dependents can rent up to $2,480 a month (23,138 NOK) and receives $843 for utilities and maintenance, $3,324 a month in total OHA at the ceiling. With two dependents and 6 years of service, COLA adds about $1,760 a month. Both are tax-free.
OHA rent ceilings for every grade
OHA reimburses your actual rent up to the ceiling for your grade, so renting below it means a smaller payment, not money kept. Without dependents, the ceiling is 90% of the with-dependents figure.
| Grade | With deps | Without deps | Ceiling (NOK) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,984 | $1,786 | 18,510 NOK |
| E-2 | $1,984 | $1,786 | 18,510 NOK |
| E-3 | $1,984 | $1,786 | 18,510 NOK |
| E-4 | $1,984 | $1,786 | 18,510 NOK |
| E-5 | $2,480 | $2,232 | 23,138 NOK |
| E-6 | $3,100 | $2,790 | 28,922 NOK |
| E-7 | $3,100 | $2,790 | 28,922 NOK |
| E-8 | $3,100 | $2,790 | 28,922 NOK |
| E-9 | $3,875 | $3,488 | 36,153 NOK |
| W-1 | $2,480 | $2,232 | 23,138 NOK |
| W-2 | $3,100 | $2,790 | 28,922 NOK |
| W-3 | $3,875 | $3,488 | 36,153 NOK |
| W-4 | $3,875 | $3,488 | 36,153 NOK |
| W-5 | $3,875 | $3,488 | 36,153 NOK |
| O-1E | $3,100 | $2,790 | 28,922 NOK |
| O-2E | $3,100 | $2,790 | 28,922 NOK |
| O-3E | $3,875 | $3,488 | 36,153 NOK |
| O-1 | $2,480 | $2,232 | 23,138 NOK |
| O-2 | $2,480 | $2,232 | 23,138 NOK |
| O-3 | $3,100 | $2,790 | 28,922 NOK |
| O-4 | $3,875 | $3,488 | 36,153 NOK |
| O-5 | $3,875 | $3,488 | 36,153 NOK |
| O-6 | $3,875 | $3,488 | 36,153 NOK |
Utilities and move-in
- Utility/recurring maintenance allowance: $843 a month with dependents, $633 without (7,868 NOK with dependents).
- Move-in housing allowance (MIHA) miscellaneous: $429, paid once when you sign a lease (4,004 NOK).
Rent ceilings effective 16 July 2026. Converted at DTMO's pay-system rate of 1 NOK = $0.107194 (October 1, 2026). DTMO revises it on the 1st and 16th of each month, so the dollar amount moves even when the ceiling does not.
COLA in Stavanger
The COLA index here is 160 (effective October 1, 2026), meaning goods and services cost about 60% more than in the U.S. COLA is paid on top of base pay and OHA. Estimated monthly COLA by grade and number of dependents:
| Grade (YOS) | No deps | 1 dep | 2 deps | 3 deps | 4 deps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-3 (2 yrs) | $1,584 | $1,672 | $1,760 | $1,848 | $1,936 |
| E-4 (4 yrs) | $1,584 | $1,672 | $1,760 | $1,848 | $1,936 |
| E-5 (6 yrs) | $1,584 | $1,672 | $1,760 | $1,848 | $1,936 |
| E-6 (10 yrs) | $1,584 | $1,672 | $1,760 | $1,848 | $1,936 |
| E-7 (14 yrs) | $1,584 | $1,672 | $1,760 | $1,848 | $1,936 |
| E-8 (18 yrs) | $1,697 | $1,791 | $1,885 | $1,979 | $2,074 |
| E-9 (22 yrs) | $1,913 | $2,019 | $2,125 | $2,231 | $2,338 |
| W-2 (8 yrs) | $1,584 | $1,672 | $1,760 | $1,848 | $1,936 |
| O-2 (3 yrs) | $1,643 | $1,734 | $1,825 | $1,916 | $2,008 |
| O-3 (6 yrs) | $1,805 | $1,905 | $2,005 | $2,105 | $2,206 |
| O-4 (12 yrs) | $2,066 | $2,180 | $2,295 | $2,410 | $2,525 |
| O-5 (18 yrs) | $2,309 | $2,437 | $2,565 | $2,693 | $2,822 |
| O-6 (22 yrs) | $2,529 | $2,670 | $2,810 | $2,951 | $3,091 |
Estimates use 2026 base pay at the years of service shown and DTMO's spendable-income table (CY2026 tables (effective Feb 1, 2026)). COLA = spendable income × (index − 100) ÷ 100 ÷ 12. Members without dependents living in government quarters receive a reduced rate. Run your exact grade, years of service and dependents in the OCONUS COLA calculator.
How Stavanger compares
The COLA index of 160 is the 6th-highest of 7 Norway localities DTMO prices for OHA, and in the top 4% of the 624 locations worldwide that pay COLA.
Its E-5 rent ceiling ranks 1st of 7 in Norway, the highest in the country.
Where the ceiling steps up with rank (with dependents): enlisted $1,984 for E-1 to E-4, $2,480 at E-5 (+$496), $3,100 from E-6 to E-8 (+$620), and $3,875 at E-9 (+$775); officers $2,480 for O-1 to O-2, $3,100 at O-3 (+$620), and $3,875 from O-4 to O-6 (+$775). A promotion that lands before you sign a lease raises what you can rent.
At the ceiling, an E-5 with two dependents draws about $5,084 a month here in OHA and COLA combined, tax-free. The same member receives $2,061 in BAH at the median U.S. housing area. Treat that as a rough guide: OHA pays your actual rent rather than a flat amount, and COLA exists because everyday prices here run higher.
How these rates have moved
The COLA index has moved from 148 (September 16, 2025) to 160 (October 1, 2026). At 2026 pay, that is +$352 a month for an E-5 with two dependents.
| Effective | COLA index | E-5, 2 deps* |
|---|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | 160 | $1,760 |
| August 1, 2026 | 154 | $1,584 |
| July 16, 2026 | 150 | $1,467 |
| June 16, 2026 | 158 | $1,701 |
| May 16, 2026 | 162 | $1,819 |
| September 16, 2025 | 148 | $1,408 |
*Monthly COLA at 2026 base pay (6 years of service), so the column isolates the effect of the index.
Exchange rate: DTMO's pay-system rate was 1 NOK = $0.099787 on July 16, 2026 and $0.107194 on October 1, 2026 (+7.4%). The E-5 ceiling of 23,138 NOK is worth $2,480 today against $2,309 then, so the dollar amount on your LES rose by $171 a month without the ceiling itself changing.
From DTMO's published COLA indices and OHA exchange rates as recorded by this site each pay period.
Other Norway localities
E-5 with dependents. Your OHA follows the locality of your duty station, so these apply only if you are assigned there.
Using these numbers
- Your exact OHA by grade and dependents: OHA calculator. Your exact COLA: OCONUS COLA calculator.
- Planning the move: PCS calculator for DLA, per diem and weight allowance.
- Coming home: COLA stops the day you leave. The COLA trap shows how to plan for it.
Sources: DTMO OHA rate tables and OCONUS COLA indices, refreshed each pay period. Estimates for planning; your finance office's figure is the one that pays.