Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Hamar Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Hamar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,658 in Bergen versus $2,379 in Hamar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,013 in Bergen versus $3,737 in Hamar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,368 in Bergen versus $5,095 in Hamar.

Living in Bergen is roughly 12% more expensive than in Hamar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 100% above, Hamar 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.18 NOK 239

$25.39 NOK 241

-0.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 970

$122 NOK 1,157

-16.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.35 NOK 183

$15.27 NOK 145

26.72%

Cappuccino

$5.34 NOK 50.7

$5.07 NOK 48.03

5.33%

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

$3.24 NOK 30.68

$4.21 NOK 39.92

-23.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 NOK 27.47

$3.18 NOK 30.12

-8.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.61 NOK 110

$11.96 NOK 113

-2.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.63 NOK 91.3

$8.19 NOK 77.6

17.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 NOK 25.70

$2.10 NOK 19.93

29.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 NOK 32.64

$2.84 NOK 26.97

21.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 NOK 26.44

$2.05 NOK 19.40

36.10%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 47.68

$5.20 NOK 49.27

-3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.95 NOK 132

$10.42 NOK 98.8

33.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.55 NOK 147

$12.20 NOK 116

27.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.87 NOK 264

$31.13 NOK 295

-10.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 NOK 36.09

$3.44 NOK 32.66

10.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 NOK 28.07

$2.50 NOK 23.69

18.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.98

$2.89 NOK 27.37

23.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 NOK 52.3

$5.08 NOK 48.21

8.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.70

$2.38 NOK 22.55

9.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 NOK 26.09

$2.39 NOK 22.69

15.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 NOK 26.26

$2.00 NOK 18.96

38.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 NOK 20.02

$1.89 NOK 17.92

11.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.74 NOK 159

$17.40 NOK 165

-3.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.70 NOK 168

$18.04 NOK 171

-1.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 NOK 32.11

$3.52 NOK 33.37

-3.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 NOK 40.77

$4.25 NOK 40.34

1.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.37 NOK 41.45

$4.48 NOK 42.53

-2.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.8 NOK 757

$64.5 NOK 612

23.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.20 NOK 144

$9.97 NOK 94.6

52.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 NOK 20.87

$1.38 NOK 13.12

59.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.6 NOK 689

$42.66 NOK 404

70.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 20.98

$2.11 NOK 19.97

4.74%

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

$35.8K NOK 339.6K

$35.9K NOK 340.4K

-0.25%

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

$43.7K NOK 414.2K

$43.2K NOK 409.8K

1.07%

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

$244 NOK 2,314

$218 NOK 2,072

11.70%

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

$38.05 NOK 361

$31.47 NOK 298

20.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 NOK 620

$56.2 NOK 533

16.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 NOK 513

$55.7 NOK 528

-2.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.77 NOK 377

$27.97 NOK 265

42.19%

Cinema Ticket

$19.90 NOK 189

$18.02 NOK 171

10.43%

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

$284 NOK 2,692

$203 NOK 1,921

40.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 122.2K

$14.6K NOK 138.6K

-11.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.5 NOK 877

$106 NOK 1,002

-12.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 NOK 528

$60.4 NOK 573

-7.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 NOK 1,067

$121 NOK 1,148

-7.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NOK 1,360

$103 NOK 976

39.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 NOK 12.4K

$1,160 NOK 11.0K

12.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 NOK 9,455

$824 NOK 7,811

21.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,032 NOK 19.3K

$1,496 NOK 14.2K

35.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

$1,445 NOK 13.7K

10.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,558 NOK 71.7K

$4,211 NOK 39.9K

79.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,679 NOK 44.4K

$3,448 NOK 32.7K

35.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,385 NOK 41.6K

$4,111 NOK 39.0K

6.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

5.08

-4.53%

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

Last update for Bergen: July 28, 2026

Last update for Hamar: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,304 in Bergen and $1,160 in Hamar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 7% 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 $122 in Hamar. Groceries flip the comparison at $485 vs $438, with Hamar 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 Hamar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% 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: $1,304 in Bergen versus $1,160 in Hamar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $284 in Bergen versus $203 in Hamar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Hamar is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Hamar 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 Hamar 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 Hamar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.