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: $2,605 in Bergen versus $2,270 in Bodo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,923 in Bergen versus $3,585 in Bodo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,240 in Bergen versus $4,901 in Bodo.

Living in Bergen is roughly 15% more expensive than Bodo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 94% above, Bodo 69% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bergen
Bodo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.78 NOK 240
$19.22 NOK 179
34.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$100 NOK 931
$103 NOK 952
-2.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$18.96 NOK 176
$15.74 NOK 146
20.46%
Cappuccino
$5.36 NOK 49.82
$5.92 NOK 55.0
-9.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 NOK 29.86
$3.60 NOK 33.41
-10.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 NOK 28.14
$3.07 NOK 28.53
-1.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.53 NOK 107
$11.28 NOK 105
2.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.67 NOK 89.8
$10.46 NOK 97.2
-7.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bergen
Bodo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.64 NOK 24.50
$2.32 NOK 21.58
13.79%
White Bread (500g)
$3.36 NOK 31.20
$2.99 NOK 27.75
12.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.90 NOK 26.92
$3.22 NOK 29.87
-9.94%
Eggs
$5.11 NOK 47.45
$4.68 NOK 43.51
9.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.96 NOK 130
$12.10 NOK 112
15.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.06 NOK 149
$16.79 NOK 156
-4.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$28.05 NOK 261
$16.45 NOK 153
70.52%
Apples (1kg)
$3.75 NOK 34.84
$3.18 NOK 29.50
17.92%
Banana (1kg)
$2.94 NOK 27.29
$2.35 NOK 21.85
25.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.61 NOK 33.56
$3.02 NOK 28.01
19.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.52 NOK 51.3
$5.63 NOK 52.3
-1.95%
Potato (1kg)
$2.72 NOK 25.24
$2.55 NOK 23.65
6.67%
Onion (1kg)
$2.77 NOK 25.73
$2.55 NOK 23.70
8.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.85 NOK 26.45
$3.56 NOK 33.11
-19.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.15 NOK 19.95
$2.12 NOK 19.66
1.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$16.93 NOK 157
$14.09 NOK 131
20.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 NOK 171
$19.76 NOK 184
-6.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.35 NOK 31.08
$3.01 NOK 27.92
11.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.27 NOK 39.68
$3.93 NOK 36.54
8.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Bergen
Bodo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.56 NOK 42.40
$4.31 NOK 40.02
5.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$80.5 NOK 748
$52.7 NOK 489
52.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$15.36 NOK 143
$8.95 NOK 83.2
71.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.28 NOK 21.15
$1.40 NOK 13.04
62.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$72.7 NOK 675
$46.30 NOK 430
57.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.16 NOK 20.11
$2.14 NOK 19.83
0.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K NOK 325.2K
$35.8K NOK 332.5K
-2.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.6K NOK 404.7K
$37.8K NOK 351.3K
15.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen
Bodo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$238 NOK 2,207
$144 NOK 1,337
65.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.16 NOK 355
$24.85 NOK 231
53.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.1 NOK 595
$63.4 NOK 589
0.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bergen
Bodo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.2 NOK 513
$49.72 NOK 462
11.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$40.59 NOK 377
$35.00 NOK 325
15.97%
Cinema Ticket
$19.99 NOK 186
$12.99 NOK 121
53.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bergen
Bodo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$281 NOK 2,610
$397 NOK 3,684
-29.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K NOK 120.1K
$10.2K NOK 94.5K
27.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bergen
Bodo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.5 NOK 841
$69.6 NOK 646
30.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.0 NOK 510
$52.1 NOK 484
5.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 NOK 1,034
$109 NOK 1,014
2.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$147 NOK 1,369
$149 NOK 1,384
-1.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bergen
Bodo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,275 NOK 11.8K
$959 NOK 8,912
32.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$997 NOK 9,263
$878 NOK 8,153
13.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,004 NOK 18.6K
$2,104 NOK 19.5K
-4.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,576 NOK 14.6K
$1,645 NOK 15.3K
-4.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,998 NOK 74.3K
$6,078 NOK 56.5K
31.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,773 NOK 44.3K
$4,914 NOK 45.6K
-2.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bergen
Bodo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,646 NOK 43.2K
$3,685 NOK 34.2K
26.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.85
3.8
27.63%

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

Last update for Bergen: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bodo: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,275 in Bergen and $959 in Bodo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 26% 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: $100 in Bergen vs $103 in Bodo. Groceries flip the comparison at $490 vs $439, with Bodo cheaper for home cooking.

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
Is Bodo cheaper than Bergen?
Bodo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Bergen or Bodo?
Bergen pays 26% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Bergen and Bodo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,275 in Bergen versus $959 in Bodo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $281 in Bergen versus $397 in Bodo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Bergen and Bodo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Bergen or Bodo?
At $2,270 in Bodo versus $2,605 in Bergen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bodo but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Bodo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Bergen or Bodo more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Bergen or Bodo?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Bodo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Bergen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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