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: $2,650 in Bergen versus $2,212 in Drammen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,988 in Bergen versus $3,324 in Drammen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,327 in Bergen versus $4,437 in Drammen.

Living in Bergen is roughly 20% more expensive than in Drammen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 98% above, Drammen 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.72 NOK 248

$20.63 NOK 199

24.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 NOK 994

$74.8 NOK 721

37.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.51 NOK 188

$13.18 NOK 127

48.03%

Cappuccino

$5.42 NOK 52.3

$4.73 NOK 45.63

14.59%

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

$3.20 NOK 30.86

$2.45 NOK 23.64

30.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 NOK 27.90

$2.68 NOK 25.80

7.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.82 NOK 114

$8.14 NOK 78.5

45.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.78 NOK 94.3

$6.23 NOK 60.1

56.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 NOK 25.56

$2.11 NOK 20.32

25.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 NOK 31.62

$3.13 NOK 30.17

4.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 27.80

$3.32 NOK 32.00

-13.25%

Eggs

$4.90 NOK 47.29

$4.19 NOK 40.41

16.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 NOK 137

$11.24 NOK 108

26.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.06 NOK 155

$13.19 NOK 127

21.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.21 NOK 272

$17.36 NOK 167

62.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 NOK 38.03

$1.95 NOK 18.81

102.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 NOK 28.55

$2.26 NOK 21.75

30.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 36.21

$3.29 NOK 31.71

13.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 NOK 54.2

$3.79 NOK 36.51

48.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 NOK 26.32

$2.30 NOK 22.22

18.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 NOK 28.07

$1.34 NOK 12.90

117.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 NOK 27.03

$1.79 NOK 17.23

56.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 NOK 20.66

$1.83 NOK 17.69

16.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.95 NOK 163

$14.30 NOK 138

18.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.26 NOK 166

$12.44 NOK 120

38.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 NOK 31.84

$2.93 NOK 28.29

12.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 NOK 42.22

$4.08 NOK 39.37

7.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.47 NOK 43.12

$2.83 NOK 27.26

57.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.2 NOK 783

$76.5 NOK 737

6.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.23 NOK 147

$10.25 NOK 98.8

48.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 NOK 21.68

$1.22 NOK 11.73

84.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.5 NOK 700

$99.6 NOK 960

-27.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 NOK 20.53

$2.16 NOK 20.84

-1.39%

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

$35.3K NOK 340.8K

$41.1K NOK 396.1K

-13.96%

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

$43.1K NOK 415.5K

$39.1K NOK 377.1K

10.18%

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

$242 NOK 2,336

$218 NOK 2,103

11.09%

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

$38.51 NOK 371

$43.27 NOK 417

-11.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.7 NOK 624

$37.61 NOK 363

71.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 NOK 520

$84.5 NOK 815

-36.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.36 NOK 389

$35.41 NOK 341

13.98%

Cinema Ticket

$20.20 NOK 195

$15.17 NOK 146

33.16%

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

$286 NOK 2,756

$302 NOK 2,909

-5.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NOK 121.1K

$10.1K NOK 97.6K

24.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.1 NOK 878

$97.2 NOK 937

-6.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 NOK 535

$24.93 NOK 240

122.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 NOK 1,072

$101 NOK 971

10.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 NOK 1,401

$144 NOK 1,391

0.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 NOK 12.4K

$942 NOK 9,081

36.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 NOK 9,408

$769 NOK 7,415

26.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,019 NOK 19.5K

$1,460 NOK 14.1K

38.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,558 NOK 15.0K

$1,366 NOK 13.2K

14.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,575 NOK 73.0K

$10.3K NOK 99.7K

-26.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,645 NOK 44.8K

$6,145 NOK 59.3K

-24.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,344 NOK 41.9K

$3,527 NOK 34.0K

23.14%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Drammen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Bergen and $942 in Drammen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 23% 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: $103 in Bergen vs $75.0 in Drammen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $489 vs $376 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 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 23% 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: $1,284 in Bergen versus $942 in Drammen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $286 in Bergen versus $302 in Drammen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,212 in Drammen versus $2,650 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 20% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.