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 $3,515 per month in Arlington, VA vs $2,650 in Bergen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,406 per month in Arlington, VA vs $3,988 in Bergen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,298 per month in Arlington, VA vs $5,327 in Bergen, rent included.

Arlington, VA costs about 33% more than Bergen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arlington, VA and Bergen sit above the global median – Arlington, VA by 163%, Bergen by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.01 $24.01

$25.72 NOK 248

-6.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.1 $89.1

$103 NOK 993

-13.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 $11.91

$19.51 NOK 188

-38.95%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.42 NOK 52.2

3.87%

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

$2.84 $2.84

$3.20 NOK 30.82

-11.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.89 NOK 27.87

-12.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 $8.07

$11.82 NOK 114

-31.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 $8.85

$9.78 NOK 94.2

-9.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$2.65 NOK 25.54

-54.34%

White Bread (500g)

$4.20 $4.20

$3.28 NOK 31.58

28.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.08 $7.08

$2.88 NOK 27.77

145.83%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$4.90 NOK 47.23

-9.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.60 $17.60

$14.20 NOK 137

23.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.33 $15.33

$16.06 NOK 155

-4.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.72 $21.72

$28.21 NOK 272

-23.01%

Apples (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$3.94 NOK 37.99

59.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.96 NOK 28.52

-30.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.75 NOK 36.17

36.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$5.62 NOK 54.2

3.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.73 NOK 26.29

26.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.91 NOK 28.04

15.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.80 NOK 27.00

-4.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.14 NOK 20.64

14.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.45 $12.45

$16.95 NOK 163

-26.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.87 $16.87

$17.26 NOK 166

-2.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.30 NOK 31.80

-40.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 $4.23

$4.38 NOK 42.18

-3.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 $3.60

$4.47 NOK 43.07

-19.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$126 $126

$81.2 NOK 783

54.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$15.23 NOK 147

-79.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.25 NOK 21.66

-30.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.02 $22.02

$72.5 NOK 699

-69.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$2.13 NOK 20.51

-59.62%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$35.3K NOK 340.4K

-14.67%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$43.1K NOK 415.0K

-40.66%

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

$206 $206

$242 NOK 2,333

-15.11%

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

$59.0 $59.0

$38.51 NOK 371

53.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$64.7 NOK 623

9.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.2 $76.2

$53.9 NOK 520

41.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.71 $23.71

$40.36 NOK 389

-41.25%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$20.20 NOK 195

-25.50%

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

$2,114 $2,114

$286 NOK 2,753

639.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K $40.0K

$12.6K NOK 121.0K

218.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$91.1 NOK 878

-39.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 $51.1

$55.5 NOK 535

-7.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 $93.4

$111 NOK 1,071

-16.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$145 NOK 1,400

-2.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,516 $2,516

$1,284 NOK 12.4K

95.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 $1,890

$976 NOK 9,397

93.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,298 $4,298

$2,019 NOK 19.4K

112.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,493 $3,493

$1,558 NOK 15.0K

124.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,364 $6,364

$7,575 NOK 73.0K

-15.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,027 $5,027

$4,645 NOK 44.7K

8.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,694 $6,694

$4,344 NOK 41.8K

54.11%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bergen: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,516 in Arlington, VA versus $1,284 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 54% 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 $89.0 in Arlington, VA versus $103 in Bergen. Groceries tell a different story – $497 in Arlington, VA vs $489 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 33% 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 $5,272 per month in Arlington, VA and $3,975 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 2% 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 $89.0 in Arlington, VA and $103 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 $3,515 in Arlington, VA and $2,650 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 $2,650 versus $3,515 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.