Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Fredrikstad Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Fredrikstad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,605 in Bergen versus $2,692 in Fredrikstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,923 in Bergen versus $4,055 in Fredrikstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,240 in Bergen versus $5,418 in Fredrikstad.

Living in Bergen costs roughly 3% less than in Fredrikstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 94% above, Fredrikstad 101% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.78 NOK 240
$18.53 NOK 173
39.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$100 NOK 933
$110 NOK 1,020
-8.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$18.96 NOK 176
$11.98 NOK 112
58.26%
Cappuccino
$5.36 NOK 49.93
$5.16 NOK 48.01
3.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 NOK 29.92
$3.90 NOK 36.32
-17.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 NOK 28.20
$2.80 NOK 26.03
8.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.53 NOK 107
$11.30 NOK 105
2.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.67 NOK 90.0
$10.19 NOK 94.9
-5.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.64 NOK 24.55
$2.17 NOK 20.22
21.66%
White Bread (500g)
$3.36 NOK 31.27
$4.45 NOK 41.44
-24.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.90 NOK 26.97
$3.23 NOK 30.06
-10.22%
Eggs
$5.11 NOK 47.55
$5.46 NOK 50.9
-6.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.96 NOK 130
$11.89 NOK 111
17.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.06 NOK 150
$15.75 NOK 147
1.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$28.05 NOK 261
$33.73 NOK 314
-16.84%
Apples (1kg)
$3.75 NOK 34.91
$4.74 NOK 44.15
-20.89%
Banana (1kg)
$2.94 NOK 27.35
$3.45 NOK 32.16
-14.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.61 NOK 33.63
$4.50 NOK 41.92
-19.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.52 NOK 51.4
$5.06 NOK 47.10
9.09%
Potato (1kg)
$2.72 NOK 25.30
$2.89 NOK 26.87
-5.88%
Onion (1kg)
$2.77 NOK 25.78
$2.75 NOK 25.64
0.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.85 NOK 26.50
$2.73 NOK 25.46
4.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.15 NOK 19.99
$1.82 NOK 16.98
18.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$16.93 NOK 158
$15.09 NOK 141
12.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 NOK 171
$22.89 NOK 213
-19.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.35 NOK 31.15
$3.32 NOK 30.87
0.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.27 NOK 39.76
$6.01 NOK 55.9
-28.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.56 NOK 42.49
$3.90 NOK 36.29
16.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$80.5 NOK 750
$62.3 NOK 580
29.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$15.36 NOK 143
$6.15 NOK 57.2
149.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.28 NOK 21.19
$1.46 NOK 13.59
56.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$72.7 NOK 677
$53.8 NOK 501
35.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.16 NOK 20.15
$2.32 NOK 21.63
-6.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K NOK 325.9K
$35.3K NOK 328.7K
-0.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.6K NOK 405.6K
$37.8K NOK 352.3K
15.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$238 NOK 2,212
$336 NOK 3,125
-29.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.16 NOK 355
$38.13 NOK 355
0.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.1 NOK 596
$56.0 NOK 521
14.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.2 NOK 514
$48.08 NOK 448
14.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$40.59 NOK 378
$39.46 NOK 367
2.86%
Cinema Ticket
$19.99 NOK 186
$21.86 NOK 203
-8.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$281 NOK 2,615
$283 NOK 2,634
-0.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K NOK 120.3K
$10.1K NOK 94.1K
27.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.5 NOK 843
$149 NOK 1,386
-39.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.0 NOK 512
$61.3 NOK 571
-10.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 NOK 1,037
$166 NOK 1,542
-32.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$147 NOK 1,372
$134 NOK 1,244
10.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,275 NOK 11.9K
$1,288 NOK 12.0K
-0.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$997 NOK 9,283
$953 NOK 8,869
4.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,004 NOK 18.7K
$2,048 NOK 19.1K
-2.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,576 NOK 14.7K
$1,537 NOK 14.3K
2.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,998 NOK 74.5K
$6,150 NOK 57.3K
30.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,773 NOK 44.4K
$4,533 NOK 42.2K
5.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,646 NOK 43.3K
$3,416 NOK 31.8K
36.02%
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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Fredrikstad: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,275 in Bergen and $1,288 in Fredrikstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $100 in Bergen vs $110 in Fredrikstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $490 vs $526 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 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Bergen or Fredrikstad?
Bergen pays 36% more on average, 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: $1,275 in Bergen versus $1,288 in Fredrikstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $281 in Bergen versus $283 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 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 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 3% less than in Fredrikstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Bergen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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