Cost of Living Comparison Between Arendal and Bergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Arendal and Bergen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,812 in Arendal versus $2,948 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,929 in Arendal versus $4,449 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,045 in Arendal versus $5,950 in Bergen.

Living in Arendal costs roughly 5% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arendal 106% above, Bergen 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.31 NOK 191

$24.70 NOK 233

-17.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.9 NOK 640

$139 NOK 1,311

-51.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.13 NOK 152

$15.86 NOK 149

1.70%

Cappuccino

$5.59 NOK 52.7

$5.68 NOK 53.5

-1.58%

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

$3.62 NOK 34.12

$5.31 NOK 50.0

-31.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 NOK 30.45

$4.53 NOK 42.69

-28.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.95 NOK 113

$12.85 NOK 121

-7.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.45 NOK 117

$10.60 NOK 99.9

17.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 NOK 22.89

$2.33 NOK 21.95

4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 NOK 33.73

$3.90 NOK 36.77

-8.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 NOK 36.66

$3.57 NOK 33.67

8.96%

Eggs

$5.01 NOK 47.20

$6.62 NOK 62.4

-24.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.93 NOK 141

$15.02 NOK 142

-0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.73 NOK 139

$17.61 NOK 166

-16.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.89 NOK 319

$35.64 NOK 336

-4.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 NOK 34.66

$4.02 NOK 37.88

-8.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 NOK 27.03

$2.83 NOK 26.64

1.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 33.63

$3.67 NOK 34.54

-2.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.90 NOK 46.16

$5.50 NOK 51.8

-10.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 NOK 24.84

$2.55 NOK 23.99

3.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 NOK 29.44

$3.30 NOK 31.10

-5.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 NOK 26.11

$2.94 NOK 27.70

-5.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NOK 22.71

$1.91 NOK 17.95

26.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.64 NOK 166

$18.18 NOK 171

-2.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.94 NOK 141

$18.23 NOK 172

-18.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 NOK 34.46

$3.52 NOK 33.20

3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 NOK 43.21

$4.39 NOK 41.32

4.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.72 NOK 35.06

$5.12 NOK 48.20

-27.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.3 NOK 879

$90.2 NOK 850

3.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.37 NOK 60.0

$12.62 NOK 119

-49.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 NOK 16.41

$1.96 NOK 18.43

-11.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$107 NOK 1,010

$74.5 NOK 702

43.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 21.22

$2.37 NOK 22.33

-5.06%

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

$49.0K NOK 461.4K

$49.1K NOK 462.5K

-0.25%

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

$42.7K NOK 402.6K

$44.2K NOK 416.9K

-3.43%

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

$252 NOK 2,374

$288 NOK 2,717

-12.61%

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

$36.14 NOK 341

$31.45 NOK 296

14.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.2 NOK 755

$78.6 NOK 741

1.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.02 NOK 358

$45.85 NOK 432

-17.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.68 NOK 412

Cinema Ticket

$15.79 NOK 149

$19.64 NOK 185

-19.60%

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

$333 NOK 3,136

$245 NOK 2,309

35.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NOK 136.9K

$12.2K NOK 115.2K

18.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$129 NOK 1,216

$107 NOK 1,008

20.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 NOK 422

$54.3 NOK 511

-17.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NOK 1,222

$125 NOK 1,181

3.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$204 NOK 1,924

$170 NOK 1,602

20.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 NOK 10.7K

$1,496 NOK 14.1K

-23.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 NOK 10.1K

$1,104 NOK 10.4K

-3.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 NOK 14.9K

$2,481 NOK 23.4K

-36.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,504 NOK 14.2K

$1,780 NOK 16.8K

-15.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,308 NOK 40.6K

$7,757 NOK 73.1K

-44.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,230 NOK 30.4K

$4,967 NOK 46.8K

-34.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,248 NOK 40.0K

$4,712 NOK 44.4K

-9.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

5.31

-11.86%

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

Last update for Arendal: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bergen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,139 in Arendal and $1,496 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Arendal vs $139 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $502 vs $534 per month, with Arendal 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

Arendal vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arendal and Bergen differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,812 vs $2,948 including rent). Arendal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Bergen. 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: $1,139 in Arendal versus $1,496 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $333 in Arendal versus $245 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Arendal is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Arendal and Bergen 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 Arendal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.