Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Kristiansund Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Kristiansund

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,650 in Bergen versus $2,260 in Kristiansund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,988 in Bergen versus $3,403 in Kristiansund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,327 in Bergen versus $4,547 in Kristiansund.

Living in Bergen is roughly 17% more expensive than in Kristiansund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 98% above, Kristiansund 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.72 NOK 248

$25.66 NOK 247

0.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 NOK 993

$102 NOK 984

0.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.51 NOK 188

$13.47 NOK 130

44.84%

Cappuccino

$5.42 NOK 52.2

$5.05 NOK 48.60

7.33%

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

$3.20 NOK 30.82

$3.21 NOK 30.90

-0.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 NOK 27.87

$2.90 NOK 27.98

-0.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.82 NOK 114

$10.25 NOK 98.7

15.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.78 NOK 94.2

$9.57 NOK 92.2

2.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 NOK 25.54

$2.38 NOK 22.90

11.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 NOK 31.58

$3.40 NOK 32.78

-3.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 27.77

$3.20 NOK 30.82

-10.00%

Eggs

$4.90 NOK 47.23

$4.45 NOK 42.83

10.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 NOK 137

$11.99 NOK 115

18.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.06 NOK 155

$14.50 NOK 140

10.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.21 NOK 272

$28.13 NOK 271

0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 NOK 37.99

$3.43 NOK 33.06

14.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 NOK 28.52

$2.46 NOK 23.65

20.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 36.17

$3.42 NOK 32.95

9.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 NOK 54.2

$4.54 NOK 43.73

23.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 NOK 26.29

$2.48 NOK 23.84

10.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 NOK 28.04

$2.59 NOK 24.96

12.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 NOK 27.00

$2.82 NOK 27.18

-0.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 NOK 20.64

$1.92 NOK 18.50

11.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.95 NOK 163

$15.15 NOK 146

11.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.26 NOK 166

$17.14 NOK 165

0.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 NOK 31.80

$3.27 NOK 31.45

0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 NOK 42.18

$3.99 NOK 38.46

9.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.47 NOK 43.07

$4.14 NOK 39.84

7.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.2 NOK 783

$74.2 NOK 715

9.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.23 NOK 147

$10.29 NOK 99.1

48.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 NOK 21.66

$1.38 NOK 13.28

63.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.5 NOK 699

$47.54 NOK 458

52.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 NOK 20.51

$2.07 NOK 19.91

2.90%

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

$35.3K NOK 340.4K

$36.1K NOK 347.5K

-2.03%

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

$43.1K NOK 415.0K

$39.2K NOK 377.4K

9.97%

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

$242 NOK 2,333

0.04%

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

$38.51 NOK 371

$38.08 NOK 367

1.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.7 NOK 623

$56.2 NOK 542

15.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 NOK 520

$49.02 NOK 472

10.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.36 NOK 389

$35.32 NOK 340

14.27%

Cinema Ticket

$20.20 NOK 195

$16.48 NOK 159

22.57%

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

$286 NOK 2,753

$288 NOK 2,778

-0.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NOK 121.0K

$10.2K NOK 98.6K

22.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.1 NOK 878

$96.0 NOK 924

-5.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 NOK 535

$52.0 NOK 501

6.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 NOK 1,071

$107 NOK 1,029

4.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 NOK 1,400

$150 NOK 1,449

-3.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 NOK 12.4K

$762 NOK 7,335

68.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 NOK 9,397

$665 NOK 6,401

46.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,019 NOK 19.4K

$1,211 NOK 11.7K

66.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,558 NOK 15.0K

$1,029 NOK 9,912

51.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,575 NOK 73.0K

$5,733 NOK 55.2K

32.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,645 NOK 44.7K

$3,969 NOK 38.2K

17.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,344 NOK 41.8K

$3,675 NOK 35.4K

18.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

4.38

10.73%

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

Last update for Bergen: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kristiansund: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Bergen and $762 in Kristiansund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 18% 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: $103 in Bergen vs $102 in Kristiansund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $489 vs $455 per month, with Kristiansund 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 Kristiansund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kristiansund is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 18% 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: $1,284 in Bergen versus $762 in Kristiansund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $286 in Bergen versus $288 in Kristiansund. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,260 in Kristiansund versus $2,650 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Kristiansund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.