Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Ridgecrest, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Ridgecrest, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,605 in Bergen versus $2,495 in Ridgecrest, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,923 in Bergen versus $3,912 in Ridgecrest, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,240 in Bergen versus $5,329 in Ridgecrest, CA.

Living in Bergen is roughly 4% more expensive than Ridgecrest, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 94% above, Ridgecrest, CA 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.78 NOK 241

$24.84 $24.84

3.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 NOK 935

$100 $100

-0.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.96 NOK 177

$14.74 $14.74

28.63%

Cappuccino

$5.36 NOK 50.1

$5.85 $5.85

-8.38%

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

$3.21 NOK 30.01

$2.92 $2.92

9.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 NOK 28.28

$2.02 $2.02

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.53 NOK 108

$7.80 $7.80

47.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.67 NOK 90.3

$9.77 $9.77

-1.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 NOK 24.62

$1.31 $1.31

101.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 NOK 31.36

$5.01 $5.01

-32.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 NOK 27.05

$7.57 $7.57

-61.69%

Eggs

$5.11 NOK 47.68

$5.51 $5.51

-7.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 NOK 130

$23.47 $23.47

-40.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.06 NOK 150

$17.32 $17.32

-7.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.05 NOK 262

$29.24 $29.24

-4.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 35.01

$7.27 $7.27

-48.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 NOK 27.43

$2.92 $2.92

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 NOK 33.73

$5.80 $5.80

-37.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 NOK 51.5

$4.58 $4.58

20.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NOK 25.37

$2.92 $2.92

-6.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 NOK 25.85

$5.79 $5.79

-52.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.58

$3.96 $3.96

-28.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 NOK 20.05

$3.03 $3.03

-29.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.93 NOK 158

$12.78 $12.78

32.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.39 NOK 172

$15.88 $15.88

15.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.24

$1.71 $1.71

95.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 NOK 39.87

$4.02 $4.02

6.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.56 NOK 42.61

$1.98 $1.98

130.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 NOK 752

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.36 NOK 143

$5.93 $5.93

159.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 NOK 21.25

$1.63 $1.63

39.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.7 NOK 679

$51.4 $51.4

41.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 NOK 20.21

$1.29 $1.29

67.44%

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

$35.0K NOK 326.8K

$35.5K $35.5K

-1.41%

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

$43.6K NOK 406.8K

$25.4K $25.4K

71.79%

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

$238 NOK 2,218

$232 $232

2.44%

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

$38.16 NOK 356

$62.7 $62.7

-39.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 NOK 598

$77.6 $77.6

-17.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 NOK 516

$32.47 $32.47

70.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.59 NOK 379

Cinema Ticket

$19.99 NOK 187

$9.70 $9.70

106.08%

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

$281 NOK 2,623

$1,416 $1,416

-80.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 120.7K

$36.7K $36.7K

-64.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 NOK 845

$69.0 $69.0

31.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 NOK 513

$45.94 $45.94

19.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 NOK 1,039

$104 $104

7.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 NOK 1,376

$142 $142

4.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 NOK 11.9K

$912 $912

39.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 NOK 9,309

$888 $888

12.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,004 NOK 18.7K

$1,886 $1,886

6.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 NOK 14.7K

$1,820 $1,820

-13.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,998 NOK 74.7K

$13.0K $13.0K

-38.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,773 NOK 44.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,646 NOK 43.4K

$5,405 $5,405

-14.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

6.68

-27.40%

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

Last update for Bergen: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ridgecrest, CA: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,275 in Bergen and $912 in Ridgecrest, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ridgecrest, CA pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $100 in Bergen vs $100 in Ridgecrest, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $490 vs $581 per month, with Bergen 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 Ridgecrest, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ridgecrest, CA is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ridgecrest, CA earns 16% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,275 in Bergen versus $912 in Ridgecrest, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $281 in Bergen versus $1,416 in Ridgecrest, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ridgecrest, CA – a meal for two runs $100 versus $100 in Bergen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,495 in Ridgecrest, CA versus $2,605 in Bergen, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ridgecrest, CA but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Ridgecrest, CA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ridgecrest, CA 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 Ridgecrest, CA 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 Ridgecrest, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.