Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Bodo Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Bodo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,948 in Bergen versus $2,529 in Bodo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,449 in Bergen versus $4,075 in Bodo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,950 in Bergen versus $5,622 in Bodo.

Living in Bergen is roughly 17% more expensive than in Bodo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 115% above, Bodo 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.70 NOK 233

$24.78 NOK 233

-0.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$139 NOK 1,311

$128 NOK 1,202

9.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.86 NOK 149

$24.98 NOK 235

-36.51%

Cappuccino

$5.68 NOK 53.5

$6.58 NOK 62.0

-13.68%

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

$5.31 NOK 50.0

$4.71 NOK 44.37

12.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 NOK 42.69

$3.15 NOK 29.68

43.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.85 NOK 121

$12.45 NOK 117

3.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.60 NOK 99.9

$15.72 NOK 148

-32.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 NOK 21.95

$2.43 NOK 22.89

-4.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 NOK 36.77

$4.44 NOK 41.83

-12.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 33.67

$4.26 NOK 40.11

-16.20%

Eggs

$6.62 NOK 62.4

$5.41 NOK 51.0

22.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.02 NOK 142

$12.69 NOK 120

18.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.61 NOK 166

$19.71 NOK 186

-10.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.64 NOK 336

$22.15 NOK 209

60.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 37.88

$3.60 NOK 33.95

11.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 NOK 26.64

$2.73 NOK 25.71

3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 NOK 34.54

$4.80 NOK 45.23

-23.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 NOK 51.8

$6.53 NOK 61.5

-15.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 23.99

$3.15 NOK 29.67

-19.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 31.10

$3.06 NOK 28.83

7.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 NOK 27.70

$2.96 NOK 27.94

-0.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 NOK 17.95

$2.52 NOK 23.74

-24.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.18 NOK 171

$15.28 NOK 144

18.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.23 NOK 172

$20.67 NOK 195

-11.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NOK 33.20

$3.84 NOK 36.21

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 NOK 41.32

$4.71 NOK 44.39

-6.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.12 NOK 48.20

$4.60 NOK 43.31

11.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 NOK 850

$73.9 NOK 696

22.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.62 NOK 119

$9.46 NOK 89.1

33.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 NOK 18.43

$1.76 NOK 16.54

11.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$74.5 NOK 702

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.37 NOK 22.33

$2.36 NOK 22.21

0.42%

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

$49.1K NOK 462.5K

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

$44.2K NOK 416.9K

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

$288 NOK 2,717

$178 NOK 1,675

62.17%

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

$31.45 NOK 296

$42.72 NOK 403

-26.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 NOK 741

$70.0 NOK 660

12.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.85 NOK 432

$52.7 NOK 497

-13.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.68 NOK 412

Cinema Ticket

$19.64 NOK 185

$14.10 NOK 133

39.29%

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

$245 NOK 2,309

$256 NOK 2,410

-4.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NOK 115.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 NOK 1,008

$91.8 NOK 865

16.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 NOK 511

$54.6 NOK 514

-0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 NOK 1,181

$105 NOK 992

18.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 NOK 1,602

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 NOK 14.1K

$1,208 NOK 11.4K

23.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 NOK 10.4K

$909 NOK 8,563

21.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,481 NOK 23.4K

$2,338 NOK 22.0K

6.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,780 NOK 16.8K

$1,861 NOK 17.5K

-4.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 NOK 73.1K

$6,351 NOK 59.8K

22.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,967 NOK 46.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,712 NOK 44.4K

$3,607 NOK 34.0K

30.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.67

13.70%

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

Last update for Bergen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bodo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,496 in Bergen and $1,208 in Bodo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 31% 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: $139 in Bergen vs $128 in Bodo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $534 vs $524 per month, with Bodo 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 Bodo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bodo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 31% 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: $1,496 in Bergen versus $1,208 in Bodo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $245 in Bergen versus $256 in Bodo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Bodo is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Bodo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bergen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bergen and Bodo 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 Bodo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.