Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Lillehammer Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Lillehammer

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,942 in Bergen versus $1,512 in Lillehammer.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,473 in Bergen versus $2,439 in Lillehammer.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,004 in Bergen versus $3,367 in Lillehammer.

Living in Bergen is roughly 95% more expensive than in Lillehammer, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 113% above, Lillehammer 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.62 NOK 228

$17.00 NOK 158

44.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$140 NOK 1,294

$87.2 NOK 808

60.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.47 NOK 153

$14.36 NOK 133

14.69%

Cappuccino

$5.92 NOK 54.9

$5.01 NOK 46.49

18.16%

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

$5.17 NOK 47.99

$3.66 NOK 33.94

41.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 NOK 42.95

$2.49 NOK 23.08

85.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.94 NOK 120

$10.59 NOK 98.3

22.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.70 NOK 99.2

$7.58 NOK 70.3

41.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.48 NOK 22.98

$2.66 NOK 24.67

-6.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 NOK 35.41

$3.43 NOK 31.76

11.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.47 NOK 32.19

$3.71 NOK 34.36

-6.47%

Eggs

$6.75 NOK 62.6

$5.11 NOK 47.39

32.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.20 NOK 141

$13.41 NOK 124

13.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.60 NOK 163

$16.56 NOK 154

6.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.27 NOK 327

$32.93 NOK 305

7.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 NOK 38.34

$3.91 NOK 36.26

5.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 NOK 26.51

$3.01 NOK 27.92

-4.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 33.42

$3.87 NOK 35.87

-6.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.80 NOK 53.8

$5.84 NOK 54.1

-0.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 23.33

$2.95 NOK 27.36

-14.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 NOK 31.00

$3.09 NOK 28.62

8.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.93 NOK 27.18

$2.91 NOK 27.02

0.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 NOK 19.06

$2.28 NOK 21.16

-9.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.04 NOK 167

$18.07 NOK 168

-0.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 NOK 173

$18.68 NOK 173

-0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 NOK 33.05

$3.75 NOK 34.79

-5.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 NOK 39.63

$4.82 NOK 44.67

-11.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.21 NOK 48.35

$2.31 NOK 21.39

125.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.0 NOK 826

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.91 NOK 120

$9.64 NOK 89.4

33.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 NOK 17.65

$1.66 NOK 15.35

14.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.3 NOK 698

$61.0 NOK 566

23.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 NOK 21.93

$2.35 NOK 21.78

0.43%

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

$49.9K NOK 462.8K

$46.9K NOK 435.0K

6.40%

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

$44.8K NOK 415.8K

$45.8K NOK 424.4K

-2.04%

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

$296 NOK 2,747

$275 NOK 2,551

7.67%

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

$31.98 NOK 297

$37.37 NOK 347

-14.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.9 NOK 732

$82.7 NOK 767

-4.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.57 NOK 423

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.44 NOK 412

Cinema Ticket

$19.31 NOK 179

$20.66 NOK 192

-6.53%

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

$250 NOK 2,322

$303 NOK 2,806

-17.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K NOK 114.0K

$4,573 NOK 42.4K

168.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 NOK 1,013

-0.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 NOK 516

$53.1 NOK 492

4.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 NOK 1,128

$123 NOK 1,137

-0.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 NOK 1,587

$159 NOK 1,470

7.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 NOK 14.3K

$1,087 NOK 10.1K

41.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 NOK 10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 NOK 23.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 NOK 16.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,803 NOK 72.4K

$3,351 NOK 31.1K

132.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,910 NOK 45.5K

$1,384 NOK 12.8K

254.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,848 NOK 45.0K

$2,098 NOK 19.5K

131.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

5.32

-0.19%

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

Last update for Bergen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lillehammer: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,542 in Bergen and $1,087 in Lillehammer. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 131% 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: $140 in Bergen vs $87.0 in Lillehammer for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $539 vs $520 per month, with Lillehammer 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 Lillehammer: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lillehammer is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 131% 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: $1,542 in Bergen versus $1,087 in Lillehammer. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $250 in Bergen versus $303 in Lillehammer. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Lillehammer – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $140 in Bergen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,512 in Lillehammer versus $2,942 in Bergen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lillehammer but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Lillehammer the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lillehammer 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 Lillehammer 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 Lillehammer gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.