🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,650 in Bergen versus $2,682 in Fredrikstad.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,988 in Bergen versus $4,010 in Fredrikstad.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,327 in Bergen versus $5,338 in Fredrikstad.
🌍Living in Bergen costs roughly 1% less than in Fredrikstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen98% above, Fredrikstad101% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.72NOK 248
$17.97NOK 173
43.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$103NOK 994
$114NOK 1,094
-9.16%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$19.51NOK 188
$11.91NOK 115
63.81%
Cappuccino
$5.42NOK 52.3
$5.34NOK 51.5
1.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20NOK 30.86
$3.97NOK 38.25
-19.40%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89NOK 27.90
$2.74NOK 26.47
5.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$11.82NOK 114
$11.01NOK 106
7.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.78NOK 94.3
$10.29NOK 99.3
-4.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.65NOK 25.56
$2.19NOK 21.09
21.00%
White Bread(500g)
$3.28NOK 31.62
$4.25NOK 41.02
-22.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.88NOK 27.80
$3.27NOK 31.54
-11.93%
Eggs
$4.90NOK 47.29
$5.22NOK 50.4
-6.13%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.20NOK 137
$11.78NOK 114
20.54%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$16.06NOK 155
$16.02NOK 155
0.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$28.21NOK 272
$34.17NOK 330
-17.44%
Apples(1kg)
$3.94NOK 38.03
$4.51NOK 43.50
-12.64%
Banana(1kg)
$2.96NOK 28.55
$3.52NOK 33.95
-15.91%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.75NOK 36.21
$4.50NOK 43.39
-16.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.62NOK 54.2
$5.04NOK 48.63
11.51%
Potato(1kg)
$2.73NOK 26.32
$2.75NOK 26.52
-0.73%
Onion(1kg)
$2.91NOK 28.07
$2.66NOK 25.64
9.40%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.80NOK 27.03
$2.64NOK 25.50
6.06%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.14NOK 20.66
$1.85NOK 17.81
15.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$16.95NOK 163
$14.87NOK 143
13.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.26NOK 166
$21.86NOK 211
-21.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.30NOK 31.84
$3.43NOK 33.04
-3.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38NOK 42.22
$6.11NOK 59.0
-28.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.47NOK 43.12
$3.87NOK 37.35
15.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$81.2NOK 783
$63.7NOK 614
27.60%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$15.23NOK 147
$6.22NOK 60.0
144.86%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.25NOK 21.68
$1.46NOK 14.04
54.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$72.5NOK 700
$52.3NOK 504
38.78%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.13NOK 20.53
$2.27NOK 21.93
-6.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3KNOK 340.8K
$35.1KNOK 338.3K
0.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.1KNOK 415.5K
$39.1KNOK 377.0K
10.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$242NOK 2,336
$339NOK 3,272
-28.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.51NOK 371
$37.93NOK 366
1.53%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.7NOK 624
$57.0NOK 550
13.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.9NOK 520
$48.85NOK 471
10.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$40.36NOK 389
$39.15NOK 377
3.09%
Cinema Ticket
$20.20NOK 195
$22.16NOK 214
-8.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$286NOK 2,756
$284NOK 2,737
0.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.6KNOK 121.1K
$10.2KNOK 98.3K
23.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.1NOK 878
$154NOK 1,484
-40.82%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.5NOK 535
$60.2NOK 581
-7.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$111NOK 1,072
$166NOK 1,605
-33.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$145NOK 1,401
$133NOK 1,279
9.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,284NOK 12.4K
$1,266NOK 12.2K
1.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$976NOK 9,408
$943NOK 9,096
3.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,019NOK 19.5K
$2,100NOK 20.3K
-3.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,558NOK 15.0K
$1,541NOK 14.9K
1.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,575NOK 73.0K
$5,874NOK 56.6K
28.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,645NOK 44.8K
$3,915NOK 37.8K
18.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,344NOK 41.9K
$3,227NOK 31.1K
34.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.85
4.25
14.12%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Bergen: July 12, 2026
Last update for Fredrikstad: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Bergen and $1,266 in Fredrikstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Bergen pays 35% 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 $114 in Fredrikstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $489 vs $523 per month, with Bergen 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 Fredrikstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fredrikstad cheaper than Bergen?
Bergen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Bergen or Fredrikstad?
Average pay runs 35% 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 Fredrikstad?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,284 in Bergen versus $1,266 in Fredrikstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $286 in Bergen versus $284 in Fredrikstad. 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 Fredrikstad?
Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Fredrikstad. 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 Fredrikstad?
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.
Is Bergen or Fredrikstad more family-friendly?
For families, Bergen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Fredrikstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Bergen or Fredrikstad?
Safety-wise, Bergen and Fredrikstad 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 Bergen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Fredrikstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.