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: $2,605 in Bergen versus $1,960 in Lillehammer.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,923 in Bergen versus $2,971 in Lillehammer.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,240 in Bergen versus $3,983 in Lillehammer.

Living in Bergen is roughly 33% more expensive than Lillehammer, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 94% above, Lillehammer 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.78 NOK 240

$16.34 NOK 152

57.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 NOK 931

$80.2 NOK 745

24.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.96 NOK 176

$14.21 NOK 132

33.43%

Cappuccino

$5.36 NOK 49.82

$4.77 NOK 44.31

12.37%

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

$3.21 NOK 29.86

$2.67 NOK 24.78

20.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 NOK 28.14

$2.25 NOK 20.95

34.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.53 NOK 107

$9.17 NOK 85.2

25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.67 NOK 89.8

$6.46 NOK 60.1

49.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 NOK 24.50

$2.04 NOK 18.99

29.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 NOK 31.20

$2.05 NOK 19.04

63.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 NOK 26.92

$2.07 NOK 19.27

40.10%

Eggs

$5.11 NOK 47.45

$3.06 NOK 28.44

66.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 NOK 130

$11.94 NOK 111

16.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.06 NOK 149

$10.00 NOK 92.9

60.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.05 NOK 261

$27.85 NOK 259

0.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 34.84

$3.57 NOK 33.20

5.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 NOK 27.29

$2.06 NOK 19.16

42.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 NOK 33.56

$2.68 NOK 24.94

34.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 NOK 51.3

$2.46 NOK 22.84

124.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NOK 25.24

$1.56 NOK 14.46

74.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 NOK 25.73

$1.99 NOK 18.45

39.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.45

$1.35 NOK 12.58

111.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 NOK 19.95

$2.52 NOK 23.40

-14.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.93 NOK 157

$13.90 NOK 129

21.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.39 NOK 171

$16.10 NOK 150

14.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.08

$3.58 NOK 33.29

-6.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 NOK 39.68

$4.77 NOK 44.31

-10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.56 NOK 42.40

$2.52 NOK 23.36

80.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 NOK 748

$53.3 NOK 495

51.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.36 NOK 143

$5.78 NOK 53.7

165.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 NOK 21.15

$1.05 NOK 9.73

117.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.7 NOK 675

$49.99 NOK 464

45.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 NOK 20.11

$2.12 NOK 19.72

1.89%

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

$35.0K NOK 325.2K

$31.3K NOK 290.3K

12.00%

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

$43.6K NOK 404.7K

$35.0K NOK 325.6K

24.31%

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

$238 NOK 2,207

$319 NOK 2,963

-25.51%

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

$38.16 NOK 355

$42.04 NOK 391

-9.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 NOK 595

$35.65 NOK 331

79.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 NOK 513

$51.1 NOK 475

8.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.59 NOK 377

$35.67 NOK 331

13.79%

Cinema Ticket

$19.99 NOK 186

$12.09 NOK 112

65.34%

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

$281 NOK 2,610

$299 NOK 2,780

-6.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 120.1K

$8,457 NOK 78.6K

52.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 NOK 841

$92.6 NOK 860

-2.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 NOK 510

$30.77 NOK 286

78.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 NOK 1,034

$70.8 NOK 658

57.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 NOK 1,369

$132 NOK 1,228

11.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 NOK 11.8K

$1,006 NOK 9,349

26.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 NOK 9,263

$595 NOK 5,532

67.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,004 NOK 18.6K

$1,847 NOK 17.2K

8.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 NOK 14.6K

$924 NOK 8,585

70.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,998 NOK 74.3K

$5,957 NOK 55.3K

34.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,773 NOK 44.3K

$2,675 NOK 24.9K

78.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,646 NOK 43.2K

$2,132 NOK 19.8K

117.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

4.32

12.27%

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

Last update for Bergen: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lillehammer: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,275 in Bergen and $1,006 in Lillehammer. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 118% 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: $100 in Bergen vs $80.0 in Lillehammer for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $490 vs $388 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bergen pays 118% 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: $1,275 in Bergen versus $1,006 in Lillehammer. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $281 in Bergen versus $299 in Lillehammer. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,960 in Lillehammer versus $2,605 in Bergen, a $2,000 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 33% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.