Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, VA and Bergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, VA and Bergen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,558 per month in Arlington, VA vs $2,605 in Bergen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,438 per month in Arlington, VA vs $3,923 in Bergen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,318 per month in Arlington, VA vs $5,240 in Bergen, rent included.

Arlington, VA costs about 37% more than Bergen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arlington, VA and Bergen sit above the global median – Arlington, VA by 166%, Bergen by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.71 $24.71

$25.78 NOK 240

-4.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.8 $89.8

$100 NOK 931

-10.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$18.96 NOK 176

-37.76%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.36 NOK 49.82

6.53%

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

$2.96 $2.96

$3.21 NOK 29.86

-7.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.03 NOK 28.14

-13.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$11.53 NOK 107

-32.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.77 $8.77

$9.67 NOK 89.8

-9.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$2.64 NOK 24.50

-54.55%

White Bread (500g)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.36 NOK 31.20

26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.05 $7.05

$2.90 NOK 26.92

143.10%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$5.11 NOK 47.45

-12.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.44 $17.44

$13.96 NOK 130

24.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.01 $15.01

$16.06 NOK 149

-6.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.16 $21.16

$28.05 NOK 261

-24.56%

Apples (1kg)

$6.00 $6.00

$3.75 NOK 34.84

60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.94 NOK 27.29

-28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$3.61 NOK 33.56

44.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$5.52 NOK 51.3

7.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.72 NOK 25.24

31.25%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.77 NOK 25.73

20.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.85 NOK 26.45

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.15 NOK 19.95

13.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.73 $12.73

$16.93 NOK 157

-24.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.89 $16.89

$18.39 NOK 171

-8.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.35 NOK 31.08

-41.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.27 NOK 39.68

-2.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.58 $3.58

$4.56 NOK 42.40

-21.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$123 $123

$80.5 NOK 748

52.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$15.36 NOK 143

-80.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.28 NOK 21.15

-32.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.73 $21.73

$72.7 NOK 675

-70.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$2.16 NOK 20.11

-59.26%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$35.0K NOK 325.2K

-13.38%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$43.6K NOK 404.7K

-41.95%

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

$210 $210

$238 NOK 2,207

-11.55%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$38.16 NOK 355

57.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$64.1 NOK 595

12.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 $77.2

$55.2 NOK 513

39.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.93 $23.93

$40.59 NOK 377

-41.04%

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 $15.18

$19.99 NOK 186

-24.06%

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

$2,044 $2,044

$281 NOK 2,610

627.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$12.9K NOK 120.1K

214.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$90.5 NOK 841

-37.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 $50.3

$55.0 NOK 510

-8.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 $94.8

$111 NOK 1,034

-14.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$147 NOK 1,369

-4.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,426 $2,426

$1,275 NOK 11.8K

90.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 $1,884

$997 NOK 9,263

88.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,268 $4,268

$2,004 NOK 18.6K

113.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,611 $3,611

$1,576 NOK 14.6K

129.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,732 $5,732

$7,998 NOK 74.3K

-28.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,600 $4,600

$4,773 NOK 44.3K

-3.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,663 $6,663

$4,646 NOK 43.2K

43.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

4.85

35.05%

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

Last update for Arlington, VA: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bergen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,426 in Arlington, VA versus $1,275 in Bergen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Arlington, VA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Arlington, VA versus $100 in Bergen. Groceries tell a different story – $494 in Arlington, VA vs $490 in Bergen – so Bergen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Arlington, VA vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, VA costs about 37% more than Bergen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,337 per month in Arlington, VA and $3,908 in Bergen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bergen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Arlington, VA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Arlington, VA and $100 in Bergen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,558 in Arlington, VA and $2,605 in Bergen. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bergen costs $2,605 versus $3,558 in Arlington, VA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bergen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arlington, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.