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 $3,527 per month in Arlington, VA vs $2,907 in Bergen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,438 per month in Arlington, VA vs $4,400 in Bergen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,348 per month in Arlington, VA vs $5,894 in Bergen, rent included.

Arlington, VA costs about 21% more than Bergen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arlington, VA and Bergen sit above the global median – Arlington, VA by 157%, Bergen by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.93 $23.93

$25.49 NOK 237

-6.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100.0 $100.0

$141 NOK 1,305

-28.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 $11.04

$16.21 NOK 150

-31.89%

Cappuccino

$5.89 $5.89

$5.63 NOK 52.3

4.62%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$5.28 NOK 49.00

-42.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$4.74 NOK 43.97

-46.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 $7.89

$12.91 NOK 120

-38.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 $8.79

$10.52 NOK 97.7

-16.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$2.48 NOK 23.00

-51.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.83 NOK 35.57

18.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.58 NOK 33.20

47.77%

Eggs

$5.28 $5.28

$6.70 NOK 62.2

-21.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.35 $21.35

$15.27 NOK 142

39.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.57 $15.57

$17.52 NOK 163

-11.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.09 $23.09

$35.05 NOK 325

-34.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$4.22 NOK 39.14

31.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.71 NOK 25.17

-31.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.72 NOK 34.55

22.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$5.61 NOK 52.1

4.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.56 NOK 23.73

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.48 NOK 32.27

7.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$3.03 NOK 28.12

-24.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.99 NOK 18.44

23.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.65 $10.65

$17.89 NOK 166

-40.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.06 $17.06

$18.74 NOK 174

-8.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.62 NOK 33.58

-23.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$4.24 NOK 39.39

-30.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.79 $2.79

$5.17 NOK 47.97

-46.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 $122

$90.2 NOK 837

35.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 $4.08

$12.70 NOK 118

-67.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.90 NOK 17.68

-35.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.72 $24.72

$73.1 NOK 679

-66.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$2.24 NOK 20.82

-58.04%

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

$34.6K $34.6K

$49.8K NOK 462.0K

-30.37%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$43.8K NOK 406.7K

-43.67%

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

$161 $161

$286 NOK 2,653

-43.66%

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

$52.4 $52.4

$31.94 NOK 297

63.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 $61.8

$78.6 NOK 729

-21.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.1 $71.1

$44.64 NOK 414

59.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.11 $19.11

$43.59 NOK 405

-56.16%

Cinema Ticket

$16.49 $16.49

$19.25 NOK 179

-14.34%

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

$1,613 $1,613

$241 NOK 2,234

570.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.7K $36.7K

$11.9K NOK 110.9K

207.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 $56.0

$107 NOK 991

-47.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 $62.6

$54.3 NOK 504

15.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$123 NOK 1,141

-15.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$169 NOK 1,571

-5.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,456 $2,456

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

62.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,997 $1,997

$1,119 NOK 10.4K

78.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,777 $4,777

$2,489 NOK 23.1K

91.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,604 $3,604

$1,758 NOK 16.3K

105.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,153 $6,153

$7,741 NOK 71.9K

-20.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,908 $4,908

$4,935 NOK 45.8K

-0.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,734 $6,734

$4,828 NOK 44.8K

39.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.27

5.31

18.08%

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

Last update for Arlington, VA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Bergen: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,456 in Arlington, VA versus $1,514 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 39% 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 $100 in Arlington, VA versus $141 in Bergen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $507 vs $538 – making Arlington, VA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 21% 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 $5,291 per month in Arlington, VA and $4,361 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Arlington, VA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Arlington, VA and $141 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 $3,527 in Arlington, VA and $2,907 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 $2,907 versus $3,527 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.