🙂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: Bergen94% above, Fredrikstad101% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.78NOK 240
$18.53NOK 173
39.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$100NOK 933
$110NOK 1,020
-8.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$18.96NOK 176
$11.98NOK 112
58.26%
Cappuccino
$5.36NOK 49.93
$5.16NOK 48.01
3.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21NOK 29.92
$3.90NOK 36.32
-17.69%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03NOK 28.20
$2.80NOK 26.03
8.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$11.53NOK 107
$11.30NOK 105
2.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.67NOK 90.0
$10.19NOK 94.9
-5.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.64NOK 24.55
$2.17NOK 20.22
21.66%
White Bread(500g)
$3.36NOK 31.27
$4.45NOK 41.44
-24.49%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.90NOK 26.97
$3.23NOK 30.06
-10.22%
Eggs
$5.11NOK 47.55
$5.46NOK 50.9
-6.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.96NOK 130
$11.89NOK 111
17.41%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$16.06NOK 150
$15.75NOK 147
1.97%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$28.05NOK 261
$33.73NOK 314
-16.84%
Apples(1kg)
$3.75NOK 34.91
$4.74NOK 44.15
-20.89%
Banana(1kg)
$2.94NOK 27.35
$3.45NOK 32.16
-14.78%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.61NOK 33.63
$4.50NOK 41.92
-19.78%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.52NOK 51.4
$5.06NOK 47.10
9.09%
Potato(1kg)
$2.72NOK 25.30
$2.89NOK 26.87
-5.88%
Onion(1kg)
$2.77NOK 25.78
$2.75NOK 25.64
0.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.85NOK 26.50
$2.73NOK 25.46
4.40%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.15NOK 19.99
$1.82NOK 16.98
18.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$16.93NOK 158
$15.09NOK 141
12.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.39NOK 171
$22.89NOK 213
-19.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.35NOK 31.15
$3.32NOK 30.87
0.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.27NOK 39.76
$6.01NOK 55.9
-28.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.56NOK 42.49
$3.90NOK 36.29
16.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$80.5NOK 750
$62.3NOK 580
29.27%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$15.36NOK 143
$6.15NOK 57.2
149.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.28NOK 21.19
$1.46NOK 13.59
56.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$72.7NOK 677
$53.8NOK 501
35.10%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.16NOK 20.15
$2.32NOK 21.63
-6.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0KNOK 325.9K
$35.3KNOK 328.7K
-0.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.6KNOK 405.6K
$37.8KNOK 352.3K
15.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$238NOK 2,212
$336NOK 3,125
-29.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.16NOK 355
$38.13NOK 355
0.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.1NOK 596
$56.0NOK 521
14.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$55.2NOK 514
$48.08NOK 448
14.85%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$40.59NOK 378
$39.46NOK 367
2.86%
Cinema Ticket
$19.99NOK 186
$21.86NOK 203
-8.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$281NOK 2,615
$283NOK 2,634
-0.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.9KNOK 120.3K
$10.1KNOK 94.1K
27.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.5NOK 843
$149NOK 1,386
-39.19%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.0NOK 512
$61.3NOK 571
-10.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$111NOK 1,037
$166NOK 1,542
-32.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$147NOK 1,372
$134NOK 1,244
10.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,275NOK 11.9K
$1,288NOK 12.0K
-0.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$997NOK 9,283
$953NOK 8,869
4.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,004NOK 18.7K
$2,048NOK 19.1K
-2.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,576NOK 14.7K
$1,537NOK 14.3K
2.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,998NOK 74.5K
$6,150NOK 57.3K
30.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,773NOK 44.4K
$4,533NOK 42.2K
5.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bergen
Fredrikstad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,646NOK 43.3K
$3,416NOK 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.