Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Grimstad Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Grimstad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,622 in Bergen versus $2,382 in Grimstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,948 in Bergen versus $3,516 in Grimstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,274 in Bergen versus $4,650 in Grimstad.

Living in Bergen is roughly 10% more expensive than Grimstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 95% above, Grimstad 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.22 NOK 239

$22.62 NOK 215

11.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 965

$51.1 NOK 485

98.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.97 NOK 180

$14.93 NOK 142

27.06%

Cappuccino

$5.55 NOK 52.6

$4.65 NOK 44.16

19.35%

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

$3.17 NOK 30.10

$3.95 NOK 37.53

-19.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 NOK 28.56

$3.18 NOK 30.15

-5.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.86 NOK 113

$12.35 NOK 117

-3.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.58 NOK 90.9

$10.13 NOK 96.2

-5.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 NOK 25.50

$2.38 NOK 22.61

13.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 NOK 32.66

$3.11 NOK 29.55

10.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 27.34

$3.12 NOK 29.63

-7.69%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 47.75

$3.28 NOK 31.10

53.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 NOK 132

$10.98 NOK 104

27.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.99 NOK 152

$13.84 NOK 131

15.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.79 NOK 264

$16.01 NOK 152

73.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 NOK 35.95

$2.04 NOK 19.38

85.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 NOK 27.98

$2.25 NOK 21.32

31.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 NOK 34.03

$3.32 NOK 31.53

8.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 NOK 54.1

$4.04 NOK 38.33

41.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 NOK 24.85

$2.44 NOK 23.13

7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 NOK 27.29

$2.57 NOK 24.37

11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 NOK 27.63

$2.84 NOK 26.94

2.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 NOK 20.34

$1.74 NOK 16.54

22.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.78 NOK 159

$16.98 NOK 161

-1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.96 NOK 170

$15.94 NOK 151

12.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 NOK 32.68

$3.38 NOK 32.07

1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 NOK 40.97

$4.20 NOK 39.82

2.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.44 NOK 42.14

$5.18 NOK 49.19

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.0 NOK 759

$77.0 NOK 731

3.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.23 NOK 145

$10.22 NOK 97.0

49.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 NOK 21.55

$1.41 NOK 13.36

60.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.5 NOK 688

$42.62 NOK 405

70.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 20.93

$2.28 NOK 21.67

-3.07%

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

$35.9K NOK 340.3K

$36.2K NOK 344.0K

-1.08%

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

$42.9K NOK 407.0K

$43.2K NOK 409.9K

-0.71%

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

$243 NOK 2,311

$300 NOK 2,843

-18.72%

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

$38.80 NOK 368

$28.50 NOK 271

36.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.3 NOK 620

$57.0 NOK 541

14.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 NOK 514

$49.64 NOK 471

9.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.54 NOK 375

$34.88 NOK 331

13.36%

Cinema Ticket

$20.20 NOK 192

$15.05 NOK 143

34.22%

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

$282 NOK 2,677

$269 NOK 2,552

4.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NOK 119.9K

$15.0K NOK 142.1K

-15.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.9 NOK 863

$50.8 NOK 482

79.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 NOK 531

$61.9 NOK 588

-9.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 NOK 1,064

$103 NOK 979

8.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 NOK 1,391

$166 NOK 1,580

-11.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 NOK 12.3K

$1,216 NOK 11.5K

6.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$973 NOK 9,238

$907 NOK 8,608

7.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 NOK 18.9K

$1,800 NOK 17.1K

10.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NOK 14.9K

$1,542 NOK 14.6K

1.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,844 NOK 74.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,587 NOK 43.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,531 NOK 43.0K

$4,416 NOK 41.9K

2.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

4.9

-1.02%

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

Last update for Bergen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,295 in Bergen and $1,216 in Grimstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 3% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $102 in Bergen vs $51.0 in Grimstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $490 vs $390 per month, with Grimstad 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 Grimstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grimstad is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bergen pays 3% more on average, 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: $1,295 in Bergen versus $1,216 in Grimstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $282 in Bergen versus $269 in Grimstad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,382 in Grimstad versus $2,622 in Bergen, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Grimstad but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Grimstad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Bergen and Grimstad 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 Grimstad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.