Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Haugesund Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Haugesund

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,948 in Bergen versus $2,761 in Haugesund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,449 in Bergen versus $4,116 in Haugesund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,950 in Bergen versus $5,470 in Haugesund.

Living in Bergen is roughly 7% more expensive than in Haugesund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 115% above, Haugesund 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.70 NOK 233

$22.21 NOK 209

11.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$139 NOK 1,311

$106 NOK 997

31.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.86 NOK 149

$14.60 NOK 138

8.63%

Cappuccino

$5.68 NOK 53.5

$4.82 NOK 45.37

17.84%

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

$5.31 NOK 50.0

$5.07 NOK 47.75

4.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 NOK 42.69

$4.08 NOK 38.45

11.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.85 NOK 121

$11.98 NOK 113

7.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.60 NOK 99.9

$10.51 NOK 99.1

0.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 NOK 21.95

$2.30 NOK 21.67

1.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 NOK 36.77

$3.77 NOK 35.50

3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 33.67

$3.47 NOK 32.69

2.88%

Eggs

$6.62 NOK 62.4

$4.78 NOK 45.03

38.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.02 NOK 142

$11.86 NOK 112

26.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.61 NOK 166

$15.36 NOK 145

14.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.64 NOK 336

$36.06 NOK 340

-1.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 37.88

$3.12 NOK 29.36

28.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 NOK 26.64

$2.21 NOK 20.83

28.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 NOK 34.54

$3.55 NOK 33.42

3.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 NOK 51.8

$4.51 NOK 42.46

21.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 23.99

$2.46 NOK 23.16

3.66%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 31.10

$3.30 NOK 31.12

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 NOK 27.70

$3.02 NOK 28.45

-2.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 NOK 17.95

$1.82 NOK 17.16

4.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.18 NOK 171

$17.20 NOK 162

5.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.23 NOK 172

$15.15 NOK 143

20.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NOK 33.20

$3.65 NOK 34.40

-3.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 NOK 41.32

$4.39 NOK 41.38

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.12 NOK 48.20

$3.70 NOK 34.86

38.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 NOK 850

$69.3 NOK 653

30.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.62 NOK 119

$12.44 NOK 117

1.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 NOK 18.43

$1.93 NOK 18.14

1.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$74.5 NOK 702

$58.1 NOK 547

28.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.37 NOK 22.33

$2.25 NOK 21.19

5.33%

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

$49.1K NOK 462.5K

$46.8K NOK 440.8K

4.91%

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

$44.2K NOK 416.9K

$43.9K NOK 414.1K

0.68%

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

$288 NOK 2,717

$292 NOK 2,755

-1.38%

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

$31.45 NOK 296

$31.85 NOK 300

-1.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 NOK 741

$59.0 NOK 556

33.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.85 NOK 432

$50.2 NOK 473

-8.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.68 NOK 412

$38.12 NOK 359

14.59%

Cinema Ticket

$19.64 NOK 185

$17.12 NOK 161

14.72%

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

$245 NOK 2,309

$244 NOK 2,298

0.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NOK 115.2K

$3,068 NOK 28.9K

298.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 NOK 1,008

$100 NOK 943

6.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 NOK 511

$55.7 NOK 525

-2.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 NOK 1,181

$88.1 NOK 830

42.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 NOK 1,602

$160 NOK 1,509

6.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 NOK 14.1K

$1,610 NOK 15.2K

-7.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 NOK 10.4K

$1,117 NOK 10.5K

-1.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,481 NOK 23.4K

$2,183 NOK 20.6K

13.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,780 NOK 16.8K

$1,695 NOK 16.0K

5.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 NOK 73.1K

$6,357 NOK 59.9K

22.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,967 NOK 46.8K

$4,856 NOK 45.8K

2.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,712 NOK 44.4K

$4,092 NOK 38.6K

15.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

5.2

2.12%

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

Last update for Bergen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Haugesund: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,496 in Bergen and $1,610 in Haugesund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 15% 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: $139 in Bergen vs $106 in Haugesund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $534 vs $485 per month, with Haugesund 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 Haugesund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haugesund is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $1,496 in Bergen versus $1,610 in Haugesund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $245 in Bergen versus $244 in Haugesund. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Haugesund is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Haugesund 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 Haugesund 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 Haugesund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.