Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Elverum

For one person, living is cheaper in Elverum: $2,805 a month against $3,093 in Bergen, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bergen, Norway
Elverum, Norway
Bergen
🇳🇴 Norway
$3,093
/mo nomad
Elverum
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,805
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bergen and in Elverum

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 Elverum actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,093 in Bergen versus $2,805 in Elverum.

  • Bergen $3,093
  • Elverum $2,805

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,619 in Bergen versus $4,229 in Elverum.

  • Bergen $4,619
  • Elverum $4,229

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,145 in Bergen versus $5,654 in Elverum.

  • Bergen $6,145
  • Elverum $5,654

Living in Bergen is roughly 10% more expensive than in Elverum, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 127% above, Elverum 106% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bergen
Elverum
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.85 NOK 220
$21.64 NOK 199
10.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$141 NOK 1,302
$110 NOK 1,016
28.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.30 NOK 150
$16.40 NOK 151
-0.61%
Cappuccino
$5.62 NOK 51.8
$5.58 NOK 51.4
0.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.19 NOK 47.85
$5.64 NOK 52.0
-7.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.57 NOK 42.13
$4.26 NOK 39.24
7.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.92 NOK 119
$13.68 NOK 126
-5.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.71 NOK 98.7
$13.07 NOK 120
-18.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bergen
Elverum
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.35 NOK 21.62
$2.63 NOK 24.28
-10.65%
White Bread (500g)
$3.83 NOK 35.32
$3.61 NOK 33.23
6.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.45 NOK 31.77
$3.73 NOK 34.36
-7.51%
Eggs
$6.67 NOK 61.5
$4.93 NOK 45.48
35.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.89 NOK 137
$13.56 NOK 125
9.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.88 NOK 165
$16.69 NOK 154
7.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$37.65 NOK 347
$32.85 NOK 303
14.61%
Apples (1kg)
$4.10 NOK 37.80
$3.92 NOK 36.16
4.59%
Banana (1kg)
$2.80 NOK 25.82
$2.94 NOK 27.12
-4.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.70 NOK 34.11
$3.82 NOK 35.21
-3.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.54 NOK 51.1
$5.64 NOK 52.0
-1.77%
Potato (1kg)
$2.46 NOK 22.72
$2.98 NOK 27.45
-17.45%
Onion (1kg)
$3.41 NOK 31.42
$3.11 NOK 28.63
9.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.08 NOK 28.37
$2.88 NOK 26.54
6.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 NOK 16.88
$2.27 NOK 20.96
-19.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.65 NOK 163
$17.64 NOK 163
0.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.73 NOK 182
$18.67 NOK 172
5.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.83 NOK 35.28
$3.53 NOK 32.56
8.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 NOK 40.91
$4.57 NOK 42.10
-2.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Bergen
Elverum
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.32 NOK 49.07
$4.17 NOK 38.44
27.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.0 NOK 820
$81.5 NOK 751
9.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$12.82 NOK 118
$9.49 NOK 87.4
35.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.95 NOK 18.00
$1.66 NOK 15.33
17.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$74.9 NOK 690
$60.4 NOK 557
23.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.41 NOK 22.18
$2.60 NOK 24.01
-7.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.1K NOK 461.4K
$47.4K NOK 437.2K
5.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.8K NOK 412.6K
$46.5K NOK 429.0K
-3.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen
Elverum
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$292 NOK 2,688
$275 NOK 2,536
5.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.90 NOK 312
$35.85 NOK 330
-5.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.1 NOK 784
$83.0 NOK 765
2.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bergen
Elverum
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.43 NOK 446
$56.1 NOK 517
-13.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$44.06 NOK 406
$38.16 NOK 352
15.46%
Cinema Ticket
$19.28 NOK 178
$19.20 NOK 177
0.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bergen
Elverum
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$251 NOK 2,312
$301 NOK 2,771
-16.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.0K NOK 110.4K
$4,543 NOK 41.9K
163.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bergen
Elverum
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108 NOK 992
$111 NOK 1,021
-2.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.1 NOK 517
$52.2 NOK 481
7.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$120 NOK 1,107
$122 NOK 1,128
-1.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$166 NOK 1,529
$157 NOK 1,450
5.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bergen
Elverum
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,627 NOK 15.0K
$1,228 NOK 11.3K
32.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,283 NOK 11.8K
$1,059 NOK 9,760
21.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,668 NOK 24.6K
$2,054 NOK 18.9K
29.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,928 NOK 17.8K
$1,735 NOK 16.0K
11.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,228 NOK 75.8K
$6,437 NOK 59.3K
27.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,382 NOK 49.6K
$4,241 NOK 39.1K
26.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bergen
Elverum
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,732 NOK 43.6K
$4,272 NOK 39.4K
10.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.27
5.32
-0.94%

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

Last update for Bergen: October 26, 2026

Last update for Elverum: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bergen
$1.3K
Elverum
$1.1K 17.5% $224
Groceries & Markets
Bergen
$545
Elverum
$519 4.9% $27
Eating Out
Bergen
$432
Elverum
$423 2% $8.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen
$411
Elverum
$394 4% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Bergen
$202
Elverum
$199 1.5% $3.1
Getting Around
Bergen
$133
Elverum
$116 12.7% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Bergen
$87
Elverum
$95 8.6% $7.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,627 in Bergen and $1,228 in Elverum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 11% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $141 in Bergen vs $110 in Elverum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $545 vs $519 per month, with Elverum cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Bergen
🇳🇴 Elverum
🕒 Local time
14:09 2:09 PM
14:09 2:09 PM
Same time as Bergen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
292,482
21,775
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 9.22 NOK (1 NOK = 0.108 USD). 1 EUR = 10.29 NOK (100 NOK = 9.72 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bergen Elverum 350 km
From you
  • Bergen
  • Elverum

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 Elverum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elverum cheaper than Bergen?
Elverum is about 9% cheaper overall, especially in groceries and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Bergen or Elverum?
Average pay runs 11% 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 Elverum?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,627 in Bergen versus $1,228 in Elverum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $251 in Bergen versus $301 in Elverum. 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 Elverum?
Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Bergen or in Elverum?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Elverum is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Bergen or in Elverum?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Bergen or Elverum?
Safety-wise, Bergen and Elverum are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Elverum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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