Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Fairbanks, AK Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Fairbanks, AK

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,650 in Bergen versus $3,090 in Fairbanks, AK.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,988 in Bergen versus $4,350 in Fairbanks, AK.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,327 in Bergen versus $5,609 in Fairbanks, AK.

Living in Bergen costs roughly 14% less than in Fairbanks, AK, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 98% above, Fairbanks, AK 131% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.72 NOK 249

$24.75 $24.75

3.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 NOK 997

$86.6 $86.6

19.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.51 NOK 189

$13.77 $13.77

41.68%

Cappuccino

$5.42 NOK 52.4

$6.02 $6.02

-9.97%

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

$3.20 NOK 30.94

$2.76 $2.76

15.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 NOK 27.97

$2.05 $2.05

40.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.82 NOK 114

$7.91 $7.91

49.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.78 NOK 94.6

$10.16 $10.16

-3.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 NOK 25.63

$1.13 $1.13

134.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 NOK 31.70

$5.16 $5.16

-36.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 27.87

$5.30 $5.30

-45.66%

Eggs

$4.90 NOK 47.40

$4.20 $4.20

16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 NOK 137

$17.80 $17.80

-20.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.06 NOK 155

$17.06 $17.06

-5.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.21 NOK 273

$21.20 $21.20

33.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 NOK 38.13

$8.00 $8.00

-50.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 NOK 28.62

$2.90 $2.90

2.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 36.30

$6.66 $6.66

-43.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 NOK 54.4

$7.24 $7.24

-22.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 NOK 26.38

$3.77 $3.77

-27.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 NOK 28.14

$4.80 $4.80

-39.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 NOK 27.10

$2.90 $2.90

-3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 NOK 20.72

$2.05 $2.05

4.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.95 NOK 164

$11.21 $11.21

51.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.26 NOK 167

$11.90 $11.90

45.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 NOK 31.92

$1.71 $1.71

92.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 NOK 42.33

$1.02 $1.02

329.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.47 NOK 43.23

$1.54 $1.54

190.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.2 NOK 785

$39.44 $39.44

105.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.23 NOK 147

$3.40 $3.40

347.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 NOK 21.74

$2.20 $2.20

2.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.5 NOK 701

$45.02 $45.02

61.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 NOK 20.59

$1.03 $1.03

106.80%

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

$35.3K NOK 341.6K

$29.6K $29.6K

19.42%

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

$43.1K NOK 416.5K

$25.9K $25.9K

66.39%

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

$242 NOK 2,342

$167 $167

45.26%

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

$38.51 NOK 372

$61.2 $61.2

-37.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.7 NOK 625

$116 $116

-44.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 NOK 521

$98.3 $98.3

-45.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.36 NOK 390

Cinema Ticket

$20.20 NOK 195

$17.12 $17.12

17.99%

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

$286 NOK 2,763

$1,183 $1,183

-75.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NOK 121.4K

$23.6K $23.6K

-46.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.1 NOK 881

$59.4 $59.4

53.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 NOK 537

$39.70 $39.70

39.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 NOK 1,075

$83.6 $83.6

32.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 NOK 1,405

$121 $121

19.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 NOK 12.4K

$1,679 $1,679

-23.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 NOK 9,431

$1,477 $1,477

-33.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,019 NOK 19.5K

$2,305 $2,305

-12.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,558 NOK 15.1K

$2,036 $2,036

-23.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,575 NOK 73.2K

$2,007 $2,007

277.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,645 NOK 44.9K

$2,011 $2,011

131.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,344 NOK 42.0K

$3,909 $3,909

11.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

6.53

-25.73%

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

Last update for Bergen: July 12, 2026

Last update for Fairbanks, AK: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Bergen and $1,679 in Fairbanks, AK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $103 in Bergen vs $87.0 in Fairbanks, AK. Groceries flip the comparison at $489 vs $515, with Bergen 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 Fairbanks, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bergen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,284 in Bergen versus $1,679 in Fairbanks, AK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $286 in Bergen versus $1,183 in Fairbanks, AK. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Fairbanks, AK. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Bergen is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Bergen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Fairbanks, AK, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bergen and Fairbanks, AK 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 Bergen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Fairbanks, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.