Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Molde Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Molde

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,948 in Bergen versus $2,442 in Molde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,449 in Bergen versus $3,697 in Molde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,950 in Bergen versus $4,952 in Molde.

Living in Bergen is roughly 21% more expensive than in Molde, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 115% above, Molde 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.70 NOK 233

$30.59 NOK 288

-19.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$139 NOK 1,310

$85.8 NOK 808

62.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.86 NOK 149

$15.94 NOK 150

-0.50%

Cappuccino

$5.68 NOK 53.5

$5.17 NOK 48.70

9.86%

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

$5.31 NOK 49.99

$3.29 NOK 31.01

61.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 NOK 42.68

$3.58 NOK 33.70

26.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.85 NOK 121

$11.67 NOK 110

10.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.60 NOK 99.9

$10.52 NOK 99.2

0.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 NOK 21.94

$3.13 NOK 29.46

-25.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 NOK 36.76

$4.23 NOK 39.85

-7.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 33.67

$4.11 NOK 38.69

-13.14%

Eggs

$6.62 NOK 62.4

$5.24 NOK 49.35

26.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.02 NOK 141

$18.57 NOK 175

-19.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.61 NOK 166

$16.04 NOK 151

9.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.64 NOK 336

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 37.87

$3.48 NOK 32.76

15.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 NOK 26.64

$3.28 NOK 30.89

-13.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 NOK 34.53

$3.08 NOK 28.97

19.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 NOK 51.8

$4.93 NOK 46.41

11.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 23.99

$2.63 NOK 24.80

-3.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 31.09

$2.43 NOK 22.88

35.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 NOK 27.69

$2.77 NOK 26.05

6.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 NOK 17.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.18 NOK 171

$20.59 NOK 194

-11.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.23 NOK 172

$23.72 NOK 223

-23.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NOK 33.19

$4.17 NOK 39.25

-15.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 NOK 41.31

$8.19 NOK 77.1

-46.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.12 NOK 48.19

$5.20 NOK 48.98

-1.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 NOK 850

$84.8 NOK 798

6.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.62 NOK 119

$16.35 NOK 154

-22.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 NOK 18.42

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$74.5 NOK 702

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.37 NOK 22.33

$2.31 NOK 21.75

2.60%

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

$49.1K NOK 462.4K

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

$44.2K NOK 416.8K

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

$288 NOK 2,716

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

$31.45 NOK 296

$21.65 NOK 204

45.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 NOK 741

$84.4 NOK 795

-6.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.85 NOK 432

$59.7 NOK 563

-23.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.68 NOK 411

Cinema Ticket

$19.64 NOK 185

$18.95 NOK 178

3.64%

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

$245 NOK 2,309

$214 NOK 2,013

14.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NOK 115.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 NOK 1,007

$113 NOK 1,060

-4.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 NOK 511

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 NOK 1,181

$139 NOK 1,305

-9.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 NOK 1,601

$162 NOK 1,529

4.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 NOK 14.1K

$1,288 NOK 12.1K

16.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 NOK 10.4K

$981 NOK 9,241

12.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,481 NOK 23.4K

$1,899 NOK 17.9K

30.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,780 NOK 16.8K

$1,678 NOK 15.8K

6.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 NOK 73.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,967 NOK 46.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,712 NOK 44.4K

$4,356 NOK 41.0K

8.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.8

10.62%

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

Last update for Bergen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Molde: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,496 in Bergen and $1,288 in Molde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 8% 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: $139 in Bergen vs $86.0 in Molde for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $534 vs $429 per month, with Molde 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 Molde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molde is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 8% 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: $1,496 in Bergen versus $1,288 in Molde. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $245 in Bergen versus $214 in Molde. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Molde is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Molde 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 Molde 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 Molde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.