Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Kristiansund

For one person, living is cheaper in Kristiansund: $2,340 a month against $2,927 in Bergen, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bergen
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,927
/mo nomad
Kristiansund
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,340
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bergen and in Kristiansund

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bergen and in Kristiansund actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,927 in Bergen versus $2,340 in Kristiansund.

  • Bergen $2,927
  • Kristiansund $2,340

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,393 in Bergen versus $3,549 in Kristiansund.

  • Bergen $4,393
  • Kristiansund $3,549

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,858 in Bergen versus $4,757 in Kristiansund.

  • Bergen $5,858
  • Kristiansund $4,757

Living in Bergen is roughly 25% more expensive than in Kristiansund, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 116% above, Kristiansund 73% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bergen
Kristiansund
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.86 NOK 225
$20.85 NOK 196
14.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$137 NOK 1,286
$105 NOK 992
29.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.17 NOK 152
$15.89 NOK 150
1.76%
Cappuccino
$5.48 NOK 51.6
$5.56 NOK 52.3
-1.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.34 NOK 50.3
$4.12 NOK 38.74
29.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.70 NOK 44.25
$3.05 NOK 28.70
54.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.76 NOK 120
$11.64 NOK 110
9.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.67 NOK 100
$10.27 NOK 96.7
3.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bergen
Kristiansund
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.30 NOK 21.68
$2.45 NOK 23.11
-6.12%
White Bread (500g)
$3.86 NOK 36.32
$3.69 NOK 34.71
4.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.57 NOK 33.60
$3.75 NOK 35.32
-4.80%
Eggs
$6.30 NOK 59.3
$4.88 NOK 45.91
29.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.65 NOK 138
$13.32 NOK 125
9.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.78 NOK 167
$15.21 NOK 143
16.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$37.46 NOK 353
$31.26 NOK 294
19.83%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 NOK 38.32
$3.34 NOK 31.41
21.86%
Banana (1kg)
$2.79 NOK 26.28
$2.58 NOK 24.32
8.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.63 NOK 34.16
$3.37 NOK 31.71
7.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.41 NOK 50.9
$4.74 NOK 44.63
14.14%
Potato (1kg)
$2.49 NOK 23.43
$2.61 NOK 24.54
-4.60%
Onion (1kg)
$3.42 NOK 32.21
$2.93 NOK 27.60
16.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.95 NOK 27.75
$3.05 NOK 28.68
-3.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 NOK 16.83
$2.24 NOK 21.12
-20.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.71 NOK 167
$17.16 NOK 162
3.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.45 NOK 183
$16.25 NOK 153
19.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.68 NOK 34.63
$3.51 NOK 33.03
4.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.27 NOK 40.22
$4.33 NOK 40.78
-1.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Bergen
Kristiansund
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.30 NOK 49.93
$4.58 NOK 43.08
15.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$87.5 NOK 824
$85.2 NOK 802
2.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$12.39 NOK 117
$11.99 NOK 113
3.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.87 NOK 17.62
$1.86 NOK 17.49
0.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$72.1 NOK 679
$68.4 NOK 643
5.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.39 NOK 22.51
$2.49 NOK 23.46
-4.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.4K NOK 465.3K
$47.1K NOK 443.8K
4.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.8K NOK 422.1K
$43.3K NOK 408.1K
3.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen
Kristiansund
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$287 NOK 2,698
$265 NOK 2,497
8.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.59 NOK 326
$33.19 NOK 312
4.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$82.8 NOK 779
$53.0 NOK 499
56.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bergen
Kristiansund
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.58 NOK 429
$39.18 NOK 369
16.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$43.31 NOK 408
$28.93 NOK 272
49.71%
Cinema Ticket
$19.31 NOK 182
$25.69 NOK 242
-24.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bergen
Kristiansund
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$241 NOK 2,264
$239 NOK 2,253
0.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K NOK 113.5K
$13.0K NOK 122.7K
-7.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bergen
Kristiansund
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$110 NOK 1,033
$102 NOK 956
8.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.2 NOK 510
$55.5 NOK 523
-2.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 NOK 1,107
$125 NOK 1,181
-6.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$170 NOK 1,601
$157 NOK 1,473
8.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bergen
Kristiansund
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,495 NOK 14.1K
$777 NOK 7,310
92.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,137 NOK 10.7K
$700 NOK 6,592
62.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,323 NOK 21.9K
$1,239 NOK 11.7K
87.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,698 NOK 16.0K
$1,048 NOK 9,864
62.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,803 NOK 73.5K
$6,024 NOK 56.7K
29.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,919 NOK 46.3K
$4,115 NOK 38.7K
19.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bergen
Kristiansund
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,675 NOK 44.0K
$3,708 NOK 34.9K
26.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.27
4.94
6.68%

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

Last update for Bergen: October 19, 2026

Last update for Kristiansund: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bergen
$1.1K
Kristiansund
$700 38.4% $436
Groceries & Markets
Bergen
$538
Kristiansund
$487 9.6% $52
Eating Out
Bergen
$430
Kristiansund
$389 9.7% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen
$404
Kristiansund
$351 13% $53
Clothing & Footwear
Bergen
$203
Kristiansund
$198 2.8% $5.7
Getting Around
Bergen
$130
Kristiansund
$125 4.4% $5.7
Sport & Entertainment
Bergen
$84
Kristiansund
$91 7.6% $6.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,495 in Bergen and $777 in Kristiansund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 26% 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: $137 in Bergen vs $105 in Kristiansund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $538 vs $487 per month, with Kristiansund cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Bergen
🇳🇴 Kristiansund
🕒 Local time
13:38 1:38 PM
13:38 1:38 PM
Same time as Bergen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
292,482
24,505
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bergen Kristiansund 330 km
From you
  • Bergen
  • Kristiansund

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kristiansund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kristiansund cheaper than Bergen?
Kristiansund is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Bergen or Kristiansund?
Average pay runs 26% higher in Bergen, 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 Kristiansund?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,495 in Bergen versus $777 in Kristiansund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $241 in Bergen versus $239 in Kristiansund. 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 in Kristiansund?
Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Bergen or in Kristiansund?
At $2,340 in Kristiansund versus $2,927 in Bergen, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Kristiansund but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Kristiansund the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Bergen or Kristiansund more family-friendly?
For families, Kristiansund 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.
Which city is safer, Bergen or Kristiansund?
Safety-wise, Bergen and Kristiansund 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 Kristiansund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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