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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,658 in Bergen versus $2,203 in Arendal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,013 in Bergen versus $3,348 in Arendal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,368 in Bergen versus $4,494 in Arendal.

Living in Bergen is roughly 21% more expensive than in Arendal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 100% above, Arendal 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.18 NOK 239

$17.89 NOK 170

40.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 970

$74.8 NOK 709

36.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.35 NOK 183

$15.38 NOK 146

25.81%

Cappuccino

$5.34 NOK 50.7

$5.16 NOK 48.92

3.49%

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

$3.24 NOK 30.68

$3.29 NOK 31.20

-1.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 NOK 27.47

$3.08 NOK 29.18

-5.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.61 NOK 110

$11.02 NOK 105

5.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.63 NOK 91.3

$9.95 NOK 94.4

-3.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 NOK 25.70

$2.41 NOK 22.82

12.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 NOK 32.64

$3.17 NOK 30.06

8.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 NOK 26.44

$3.68 NOK 34.90

-24.18%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 47.68

$4.33 NOK 41.08

16.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.95 NOK 132

$13.30 NOK 126

4.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.55 NOK 147

$15.42 NOK 146

0.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.87 NOK 264

$27.89 NOK 264

-0.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 NOK 36.09

$3.47 NOK 32.88

9.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 NOK 28.07

$2.54 NOK 24.09

16.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.98

$3.12 NOK 29.55

14.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 NOK 52.3

$4.83 NOK 45.78

14.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.70

$2.08 NOK 19.68

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 NOK 26.09

$2.95 NOK 28.00

-6.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 NOK 26.26

$2.61 NOK 24.73

6.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 NOK 20.02

$1.80 NOK 17.08

17.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.74 NOK 159

$15.08 NOK 143

11.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.70 NOK 168

$17.78 NOK 169

-0.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 NOK 32.11

$3.36 NOK 31.87

0.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 NOK 40.77

$4.02 NOK 38.08

6.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.37 NOK 41.45

$3.81 NOK 36.09

14.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.8 NOK 757

$106 NOK 1,009

-25.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.20 NOK 144

$8.29 NOK 78.6

83.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 NOK 20.87

$2.05 NOK 19.49

7.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.6 NOK 689

$30.83 NOK 292

135.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 20.98

$2.06 NOK 19.57

7.28%

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

$35.8K NOK 339.6K

$34.7K NOK 328.9K

3.24%

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

$43.7K NOK 414.2K

$33.3K NOK 316.2K

30.99%

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

$244 NOK 2,314

$191 NOK 1,814

27.59%

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

$38.05 NOK 361

$35.33 NOK 335

7.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 NOK 620

$74.4 NOK 705

-12.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 NOK 513

$44.23 NOK 419

22.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.77 NOK 377

$52.6 NOK 498

-24.35%

Cinema Ticket

$19.90 NOK 189

$11.96 NOK 113

66.39%

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

$284 NOK 2,692

$308 NOK 2,918

-7.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 122.2K

$10.2K NOK 96.7K

26.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.5 NOK 877

$97.7 NOK 926

-5.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 NOK 528

$59.6 NOK 565

-6.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 NOK 1,067

$104 NOK 983

8.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NOK 1,360

$161 NOK 1,524

-10.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 NOK 12.4K

$1,071 NOK 10.2K

21.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 NOK 9,455

$704 NOK 6,676

41.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,032 NOK 19.3K

$1,317 NOK 12.5K

54.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

$1,138 NOK 10.8K

40.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,558 NOK 71.7K

$3,161 NOK 30.0K

139.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,679 NOK 44.4K

$2,090 NOK 19.8K

123.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,385 NOK 41.6K

$4,017 NOK 38.1K

9.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

3.6

34.72%

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

Last update for Bergen: July 28, 2026

Last update for Arendal: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,304 in Bergen and $1,071 in Arendal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 9% 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: $102 in Bergen vs $75.0 in Arendal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $485 vs $462 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

Bergen vs Arendal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bergen and Arendal differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($2,658 vs $2,203 including rent). Arendal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Bergen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,304 in Bergen versus $1,071 in Arendal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $284 in Bergen versus $308 in Arendal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,203 in Arendal versus $2,658 in Bergen, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Arendal but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Arendal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Bergen and Arendal 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 21% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.