Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Drammen Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Drammen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,605 in Bergen versus $2,214 in Drammen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,923 in Bergen versus $3,324 in Drammen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,240 in Bergen versus $4,434 in Drammen.

Living in Bergen is roughly 18% more expensive than Drammen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 94% above, Drammen 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.78 NOK 240

$20.64 NOK 192

24.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 NOK 933

$75.3 NOK 701

32.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.96 NOK 176

$13.06 NOK 122

45.18%

Cappuccino

$5.36 NOK 49.93

$4.99 NOK 46.43

7.41%

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

$3.21 NOK 29.92

$2.42 NOK 22.52

32.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 NOK 28.20

$2.64 NOK 24.60

14.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.53 NOK 107

$7.82 NOK 72.8

47.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.67 NOK 90.0

$6.19 NOK 57.6

56.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 NOK 24.55

$2.20 NOK 20.51

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 NOK 31.27

$3.13 NOK 29.17

7.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 NOK 26.97

$3.15 NOK 29.34

-7.94%

Eggs

$5.11 NOK 47.55

$4.19 NOK 38.98

21.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 NOK 130

$11.60 NOK 108

20.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.06 NOK 150

$13.42 NOK 125

19.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.05 NOK 261

$17.23 NOK 160

62.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 34.91

$2.05 NOK 19.08

82.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 NOK 27.35

$2.32 NOK 21.62

26.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 NOK 33.63

$3.42 NOK 31.83

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 NOK 51.4

$3.95 NOK 36.79

39.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NOK 25.30

$2.27 NOK 21.14

19.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 NOK 25.78

$1.34 NOK 12.48

106.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.50

$1.85 NOK 17.18

54.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 NOK 19.99

$1.93 NOK 17.93

11.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.93 NOK 158

$14.45 NOK 135

17.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.39 NOK 171

$13.02 NOK 121

41.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.15

$3.07 NOK 28.58

9.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 NOK 39.76

$3.91 NOK 36.39

9.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.56 NOK 42.49

$2.81 NOK 26.17

62.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 NOK 750

$75.5 NOK 703

6.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.36 NOK 143

$10.01 NOK 93.2

53.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 NOK 21.19

$1.26 NOK 11.77

80.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.7 NOK 677

$103 NOK 959

-29.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 NOK 20.15

$2.17 NOK 20.21

-0.46%

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

$35.0K NOK 325.9K

$39.9K NOK 371.5K

-12.28%

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

$43.6K NOK 405.6K

$38.9K NOK 362.0K

12.05%

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

$238 NOK 2,212

$217 NOK 2,021

9.44%

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

$38.16 NOK 355

$44.32 NOK 413

-13.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 NOK 596

$38.34 NOK 357

67.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 NOK 514

$86.1 NOK 801

-35.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.59 NOK 378

$35.80 NOK 333

13.38%

Cinema Ticket

$19.99 NOK 186

$14.77 NOK 138

35.34%

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

$281 NOK 2,615

$310 NOK 2,887

-9.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 120.3K

$10.2K NOK 95.4K

26.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 NOK 843

$97.8 NOK 910

-7.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 NOK 512

$25.22 NOK 235

117.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 NOK 1,037

$97.7 NOK 909

13.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 NOK 1,372

$142 NOK 1,326

3.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 NOK 11.9K

$932 NOK 8,676

36.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 NOK 9,283

$777 NOK 7,229

28.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,004 NOK 18.7K

$1,491 NOK 13.9K

34.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 NOK 14.7K

$1,343 NOK 12.5K

17.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,998 NOK 74.5K

$10.8K NOK 100.7K

-26.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,773 NOK 44.4K

$6,561 NOK 61.1K

-27.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,646 NOK 43.3K

$3,747 NOK 34.9K

24.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

4.38

10.73%

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

Last update for Bergen: June 1, 2026

Last update for Drammen: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,275 in Bergen and $932 in Drammen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 24% 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 $75.0 in Drammen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $490 vs $383 per month, with Drammen 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 Drammen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Drammen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bergen pays 24% 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: $1,275 in Bergen versus $932 in Drammen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $281 in Bergen versus $310 in Drammen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,214 in Drammen versus $2,605 in Bergen, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Drammen but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Drammen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Drammen 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 Drammen 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 Drammen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.