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: $2,622 in Bergen versus $2,252 in Arendal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,948 in Bergen versus $3,400 in Arendal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,274 in Bergen versus $4,548 in Arendal.

Living in Bergen is roughly 16% more expensive than Arendal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 95% above, Arendal 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.22 NOK 239

$18.27 NOK 173

38.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 965

$75.5 NOK 716

34.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.97 NOK 180

$15.44 NOK 147

22.86%

Cappuccino

$5.55 NOK 52.6

$5.21 NOK 49.49

6.53%

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

$3.17 NOK 30.10

$3.21 NOK 30.46

-1.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 NOK 28.56

$3.05 NOK 28.99

-1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.86 NOK 113

$10.98 NOK 104

8.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.58 NOK 90.9

$10.23 NOK 97.1

-6.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 NOK 25.50

$2.31 NOK 21.94

16.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 NOK 32.66

$3.00 NOK 28.52

14.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 27.34

$3.60 NOK 34.13

-20.00%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 47.75

$4.36 NOK 41.38

15.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 NOK 132

$12.99 NOK 123

7.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.99 NOK 152

$15.36 NOK 146

4.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.79 NOK 264

$27.96 NOK 265

-0.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 NOK 35.95

$3.40 NOK 32.30

11.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 NOK 27.98

$2.54 NOK 24.08

16.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 NOK 34.03

$3.10 NOK 29.41

15.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 NOK 54.1

$4.55 NOK 43.20

25.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 NOK 24.85

$2.07 NOK 19.60

26.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 NOK 27.29

$2.98 NOK 28.27

-3.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 NOK 27.63

$2.61 NOK 24.75

11.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 NOK 20.34

$1.75 NOK 16.65

22.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.78 NOK 159

$15.43 NOK 146

8.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.96 NOK 170

$18.24 NOK 173

-1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 NOK 32.68

$3.35 NOK 31.83

2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 NOK 40.97

$4.00 NOK 38.01

8.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.44 NOK 42.14

$3.89 NOK 36.88

14.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.0 NOK 759

$106 NOK 1,009

-24.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.23 NOK 145

$7.93 NOK 75.3

92.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 NOK 21.55

$2.08 NOK 19.74

9.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.5 NOK 688

$30.96 NOK 294

134.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 20.93

$2.08 NOK 19.71

6.25%

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

$35.9K NOK 340.3K

$33.9K NOK 321.7K

5.80%

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

$42.9K NOK 407.0K

$32.9K NOK 312.7K

30.15%

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

$243 NOK 2,311

$189 NOK 1,793

28.87%

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

$38.80 NOK 368

$35.99 NOK 342

7.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.3 NOK 620

$74.0 NOK 703

-11.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 NOK 514

$44.53 NOK 423

21.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.54 NOK 375

$54.0 NOK 513

-26.78%

Cinema Ticket

$20.20 NOK 192

$11.93 NOK 113

69.32%

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

$282 NOK 2,677

$306 NOK 2,903

-7.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NOK 119.9K

$10.2K NOK 96.8K

23.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.9 NOK 863

$96.8 NOK 919

-6.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 NOK 531

$57.9 NOK 550

-3.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 NOK 1,064

$106 NOK 1,003

6.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 NOK 1,391

$159 NOK 1,512

-7.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 NOK 12.3K

$1,099 NOK 10.4K

17.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$973 NOK 9,238

$708 NOK 6,722

37.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 NOK 18.9K

$1,333 NOK 12.7K

49.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NOK 14.9K

$1,162 NOK 11.0K

34.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,844 NOK 74.4K

$3,229 NOK 30.7K

142.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,587 NOK 43.5K

$2,099 NOK 19.9K

118.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,531 NOK 43.0K

$4,080 NOK 38.7K

11.05%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Arendal: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,295 in Bergen and $1,099 in Arendal. 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: $102 in Bergen vs $75.0 in Arendal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $490 vs $457 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 16% in total monthly costs ($2,622 vs $2,252 including rent). Arendal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bergen pays 11% more on average, 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: $1,295 in Bergen versus $1,099 in Arendal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $282 in Bergen versus $306 in Arendal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% 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, 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 16% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.