Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $2,844 in Bergen, rent and utilities included – about $22,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Bergen
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,844
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$934
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bergen and in Cebu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bergen and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,844 in Bergen versus $934 in Cebu.

  • Bergen $2,844
  • Cebu $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,282 in Bergen versus $1,415 in Cebu.

  • Bergen $4,282
  • Cebu $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,719 in Bergen versus $1,896 in Cebu.

  • Bergen $5,719
  • Cebu $1,896

Living in Bergen is roughly 205% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bergen is 112% above, Cebu is 30% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.98 NOK 219
$3.03 ₱190
658.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$135 NOK 1,292
$23.48 ₱1,473
476.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.52 NOK 148
$4.09 ₱256
279.46%
Cappuccino
$5.42 NOK 51.8
$2.52 ₱158
115.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.10 NOK 48.71
$1.54 ₱96.9
231.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 NOK 42.65
$0.49 ₱30.98
812.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.57 NOK 120
$1.79 ₱112
602.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.41 NOK 99.4
$2.26 ₱142
360.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.15 NOK 20.57
$1.95 ₱122
10.26%
White Bread (500g)
$3.78 NOK 36.13
$1.43 ₱89.7
164.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.51 NOK 33.54
$1.02 ₱63.8
244.12%
Eggs
$6.41 NOK 61.3
$2.06 ₱129
211.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.32 NOK 137
$9.81 ₱615
45.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.21 NOK 164
$4.61 ₱289
273.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$36.16 NOK 345
$7.70 ₱483
369.61%
Apples (1kg)
$4.12 NOK 39.38
$3.31 ₱207
24.47%
Banana (1kg)
$2.72 NOK 25.95
$1.45 ₱90.9
87.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.61 NOK 34.44
$2.36 ₱148
52.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.39 NOK 51.4
$1.54 ₱96.4
250.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.52 NOK 24.02
$2.36 ₱148
6.78%
Onion (1kg)
$3.35 NOK 31.97
$1.99 ₱125
68.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.86 NOK 27.34
$1.15 ₱72.1
148.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 NOK 17.03
$0.67 ₱42.15
165.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.10 NOK 163
$3.00 ₱188
470.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.97 NOK 172
$6.35 ₱398
182.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.59 NOK 34.31
$1.31 ₱81.9
174.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.21 NOK 40.20
$1.73 ₱108
143.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.15 NOK 49.21
$0.25 ₱15.78
1960.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$86.4 NOK 825
$12.65 ₱793
583.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$12.39 NOK 118
$0.74 ₱46.32
1574.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.84 NOK 17.61
$0.21 ₱13.11
776.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$70.5 NOK 674
$4.33 ₱271
1528.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.35 NOK 22.42
$1.33 ₱83.5
76.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$48.6K NOK 463.7K
$21.8K ₱1.4M
123.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.3K NOK 413.9K
$19.4K ₱1.2M
123.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$275 NOK 2,623
$121 ₱7,563
127.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.93 NOK 314
$14.45 ₱907
127.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$82.9 NOK 791
$28.29 ₱1,774
192.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.61 NOK 436
$32.68 ₱2,050
39.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$41.77 NOK 399
$6.39 ₱401
553.68%
Cinema Ticket
$18.87 NOK 180
$5.46 ₱342
245.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$238 NOK 2,272
$273 ₱17.1K
-12.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.0K NOK 114.9K
$8,156 ₱511.5K
47.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$107 NOK 1,022
$49.57 ₱3,109
115.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.6 NOK 522
$24.87 ₱1,560
119.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 NOK 1,128
$76.6 ₱4,804
54.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162 NOK 1,545
$59.3 ₱3,717
172.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,414 NOK 13.5K
$506 ₱31.7K
179.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,083 NOK 10.3K
$309 ₱19.4K
250.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,348 NOK 22.4K
$1,052 ₱66.0K
123.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,696 NOK 16.2K
$619 ₱38.8K
173.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,822 NOK 74.7K
$2,915 ₱182.9K
168.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,769 NOK 45.5K
$1,867 ₱117.1K
155.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bergen
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,527 NOK 43.2K
$341 ₱21.4K
1227.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.27
7.2
-26.81%

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

Last update for Bergen: October 3, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bergen
$1.1K
Cebu
$309 71.4% $774
Groceries & Markets
Bergen
$524
Cebu
$210 59.9% $314
Eating Out
Bergen
$417
Cebu
$88 78.8% $329
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen
$390
Cebu
$163 58.2% $227
Clothing & Footwear
Bergen
$199
Cebu
$95 52.4% $104
Getting Around
Bergen
$129
Cebu
$15 88% $113
Sport & Entertainment
Bergen
$83
Cebu
$44 47.7% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Bergen and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 1227% 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: $135 in Bergen vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $524 vs $210 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Bergen
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
09:28 9:28 AM
15:28 3:28 PM
6 h ahead of Bergen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
292,482
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 9.55 NOK (1 NOK = 0.105 USD). 1 EUR = 10.71 NOK (100 NOK = 9.34 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bergen Cebu 10,500 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bergen
  • Cebu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Bergen?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 205% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Bergen or Cebu?
Average pay runs 1227% higher in Bergen, 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 Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,414 in Bergen versus $506 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $238 in Bergen versus $273 in Cebu. 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 in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 149% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Bergen or in Cebu?
At $934 in Cebu versus $2,844 in Bergen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Bergen or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu 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 Cebu?
Safety-wise, Bergen and Cebu 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 205% 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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