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: $2,622 in Bergen versus $2,494 in Haugesund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,948 in Bergen versus $3,746 in Haugesund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,274 in Bergen versus $4,997 in Haugesund.

Living in Bergen is roughly 5% more expensive than Haugesund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 95% above, Haugesund 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.22 NOK 239

$21.22 NOK 201

18.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 965

$100 NOK 949

1.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.97 NOK 180

$13.77 NOK 131

37.76%

Cappuccino

$5.55 NOK 52.6

$4.59 NOK 43.60

20.92%

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

$3.17 NOK 30.10

$3.08 NOK 29.27

2.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 NOK 28.56

$2.89 NOK 27.42

4.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.86 NOK 113

$10.73 NOK 102

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.58 NOK 90.9

$9.41 NOK 89.3

1.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 NOK 25.50

$2.12 NOK 20.10

26.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 NOK 32.66

$3.39 NOK 32.22

1.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 27.34

$2.78 NOK 26.35

3.60%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 47.75

$4.48 NOK 42.52

12.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 NOK 132

$11.18 NOK 106

24.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.99 NOK 152

$14.81 NOK 141

7.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.79 NOK 264

$27.94 NOK 265

-0.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 NOK 35.95

$3.08 NOK 29.19

23.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 NOK 27.98

$2.17 NOK 20.61

35.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 NOK 34.03

$3.57 NOK 33.91

0.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 NOK 54.1

$4.04 NOK 38.34

41.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 NOK 24.85

$2.59 NOK 24.61

1.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 NOK 27.29

$2.84 NOK 27.00

1.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 NOK 27.63

$2.86 NOK 27.15

1.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 NOK 20.34

$2.07 NOK 19.64

3.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.78 NOK 159

$16.25 NOK 154

3.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.96 NOK 170

$14.54 NOK 138

23.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 NOK 32.68

$3.38 NOK 32.04

1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 NOK 40.97

$4.22 NOK 40.07

2.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.44 NOK 42.14

$3.49 NOK 33.14

27.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.0 NOK 759

$66.6 NOK 632

20.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.23 NOK 145

$14.39 NOK 137

5.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 NOK 21.55

$1.59 NOK 15.11

42.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.5 NOK 688

$54.6 NOK 519

32.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 20.93

$2.20 NOK 20.87

0.45%

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

$35.9K NOK 340.3K

$34.9K NOK 331.3K

2.73%

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

$42.9K NOK 407.0K

$39.7K NOK 377.0K

7.95%

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

$243 NOK 2,311

$238 NOK 2,260

2.26%

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

$38.80 NOK 368

$38.82 NOK 369

-0.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.3 NOK 620

$55.7 NOK 529

17.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 NOK 514

$45.29 NOK 430

19.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.54 NOK 375

$36.08 NOK 342

9.59%

Cinema Ticket

$20.20 NOK 192

$16.78 NOK 159

20.38%

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

$282 NOK 2,677

$285 NOK 2,708

-1.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NOK 119.9K

$2,856 NOK 27.1K

342.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.9 NOK 863

$81.4 NOK 773

11.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 NOK 531

$56.4 NOK 535

-0.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 NOK 1,064

$94.5 NOK 897

18.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 NOK 1,391

$147 NOK 1,393

-0.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 NOK 12.3K

$1,611 NOK 15.3K

-19.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$973 NOK 9,238

$1,039 NOK 9,860

-6.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 NOK 18.9K

$2,082 NOK 19.8K

-4.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NOK 14.9K

$1,511 NOK 14.3K

3.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,844 NOK 74.4K

$4,380 NOK 41.6K

79.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,587 NOK 43.5K

$4,780 NOK 45.4K

-4.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,531 NOK 43.0K

$3,637 NOK 34.5K

24.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

3.98

21.86%

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

Last update for Bergen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Haugesund: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,295 in Bergen and $1,611 in Haugesund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 25% 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 $100 in Haugesund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $490 vs $443 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 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bergen pays 25% 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 $1,611 in Haugesund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $282 in Bergen versus $285 in Haugesund. 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 $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 5% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.