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: $2,650 in Bergen versus $1,992 in Lillehammer.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,988 in Bergen versus $2,975 in Lillehammer.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,327 in Bergen versus $3,957 in Lillehammer.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 98% above, Lillehammer 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.72 NOK 248

$16.31 NOK 157

57.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 NOK 994

$81.9 NOK 790

25.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.51 NOK 188

$14.30 NOK 138

36.43%

Cappuccino

$5.42 NOK 52.3

$4.80 NOK 46.29

12.92%

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

$3.20 NOK 30.86

$2.74 NOK 26.43

16.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 NOK 27.90

$2.20 NOK 21.22

31.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.82 NOK 114

$9.25 NOK 89.2

27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.78 NOK 94.3

$6.76 NOK 65.2

44.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 NOK 25.56

$2.04 NOK 19.67

29.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 NOK 31.62

$2.06 NOK 19.87

59.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 27.80

$2.05 NOK 19.78

40.49%

Eggs

$4.90 NOK 47.29

$3.00 NOK 28.95

63.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 NOK 137

$12.33 NOK 119

15.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.06 NOK 155

$10.27 NOK 99.1

56.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.21 NOK 272

$28.05 NOK 270

0.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 NOK 38.03

$3.48 NOK 33.60

13.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 NOK 28.55

$2.07 NOK 20.01

43.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 36.21

$2.66 NOK 25.69

40.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 NOK 54.2

$2.48 NOK 23.95

126.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 NOK 26.32

$1.55 NOK 14.92

76.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 NOK 28.07

$2.04 NOK 19.69

42.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 NOK 27.03

$1.31 NOK 12.61

113.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 NOK 20.66

$2.39 NOK 23.06

-10.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.95 NOK 163

$14.06 NOK 136

20.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.26 NOK 166

$15.41 NOK 149

12.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 NOK 31.84

$3.48 NOK 33.59

-5.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 NOK 42.22

$4.70 NOK 45.34

-6.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.47 NOK 43.12

$2.55 NOK 24.63

75.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.2 NOK 783

$53.2 NOK 513

52.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.23 NOK 147

$5.70 NOK 55.0

167.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 NOK 21.68

$0.99 NOK 9.58

127.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.5 NOK 700

$50.8 NOK 490

42.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 NOK 20.53

$2.16 NOK 20.84

-1.39%

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

$35.3K NOK 340.8K

$31.4K NOK 302.7K

12.58%

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

$43.1K NOK 415.5K

$35.3K NOK 340.0K

22.20%

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

$242 NOK 2,336

$325 NOK 3,134

-25.45%

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

$38.51 NOK 371

$41.77 NOK 403

-7.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.7 NOK 624

$35.78 NOK 345

80.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 NOK 520

$49.97 NOK 482

7.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.36 NOK 389

$35.32 NOK 341

14.27%

Cinema Ticket

$20.20 NOK 195

$12.21 NOK 118

65.44%

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

$286 NOK 2,756

$300 NOK 2,893

-4.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NOK 121.1K

$8,625 NOK 83.2K

45.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.1 NOK 878

$92.1 NOK 888

-1.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 NOK 535

$30.59 NOK 295

81.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 NOK 1,072

$71.9 NOK 693

54.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 NOK 1,401

$131 NOK 1,262

11.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 NOK 12.4K

$993 NOK 9,573

29.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 NOK 9,408

$609 NOK 5,874

60.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,019 NOK 19.5K

$1,796 NOK 17.3K

12.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,558 NOK 15.0K

$910 NOK 8,778

71.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,575 NOK 73.0K

$5,747 NOK 55.4K

31.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,645 NOK 44.8K

$2,510 NOK 24.2K

85.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,344 NOK 41.9K

$2,013 NOK 19.4K

115.78%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lillehammer: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Bergen and $993 in Lillehammer. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 116% 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 $82.0 in Lillehammer for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $489 vs $387 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.

Average pay runs 116% 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 $993 in Lillehammer. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $286 in Bergen versus $300 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 $1,992 in Lillehammer versus $2,650 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.