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: $2,907 in Bergen versus $2,425 in Ridgecrest, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,400 in Bergen versus $3,845 in Ridgecrest, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,894 in Bergen versus $5,265 in Ridgecrest, CA.

Living in Bergen is roughly 20% more expensive than in Ridgecrest, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 112% above, Ridgecrest, CA 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.49 NOK 237

$22.59 $22.59

12.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$141 NOK 1,308

$89.1 $89.1

57.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.21 NOK 151

$15.22 $15.22

6.50%

Cappuccino

$5.63 NOK 52.4

$6.04 $6.04

-6.79%

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

$5.28 NOK 49.12

$3.04 $3.04

73.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 NOK 44.07

$1.95 $1.95

143.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.91 NOK 120

$8.03 $8.03

60.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.52 NOK 97.9

$11.21 $11.21

-6.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.48 NOK 23.05

$0.98 $0.98

153.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 NOK 35.66

$4.52 $4.52

-15.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.28

$7.10 $7.10

-49.58%

Eggs

$6.70 NOK 62.4

$5.28 $5.28

26.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.27 NOK 142

$19.44 $19.44

-21.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.52 NOK 163

$14.73 $14.73

18.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.05 NOK 326

$22.09 $22.09

58.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 NOK 39.23

$8.22 $8.22

-48.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.23

$3.36 $3.36

-19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 NOK 34.63

$6.16 $6.16

-39.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.61 NOK 52.3

$9.96 $9.96

-43.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 23.79

$8.77 $8.77

-70.81%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.34

$4.77 $4.77

-27.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 NOK 28.18

$3.47 $3.47

-12.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 NOK 18.48

$2.71 $2.71

-26.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.89 NOK 166

$11.86 $11.86

50.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.74 NOK 174

$15.86 $15.86

18.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 33.66

$2.25 $2.25

60.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 NOK 39.48

$4.37 $4.37

-2.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.17 NOK 48.08

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 NOK 839

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.70 NOK 118

$2.85 $2.85

345.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 NOK 17.72

$2.55 $2.55

-25.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$73.1 NOK 681

$60.4 $60.4

21.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 NOK 20.87

$1.45 $1.45

54.48%

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

$49.8K NOK 463.1K

$37.7K $37.7K

32.08%

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

$43.8K NOK 407.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

67.48%

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

$286 NOK 2,659

$254 $254

12.64%

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

$31.94 NOK 297

$73.9 $73.9

-56.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 NOK 731

$50.4 $50.4

55.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.64 NOK 415

$32.19 $32.19

38.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.59 NOK 406

Cinema Ticket

$19.25 NOK 179

$9.41 $9.41

104.57%

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

$241 NOK 2,239

$1,003 $1,003

-76.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NOK 111.2K

$36.9K $36.9K

-67.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 NOK 993

$88.7 $88.7

20.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 NOK 505

$45.37 $45.37

19.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 NOK 1,144

$80.7 $80.7

52.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 NOK 1,574

$132 $132

27.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

$910 $910

66.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 NOK 10.4K

$902 $902

24.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 NOK 23.2K

$1,925 $1,925

29.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 NOK 16.4K

$1,826 $1,826

-3.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,741 NOK 72.0K

$13.2K $13.2K

-41.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,935 NOK 45.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,828 NOK 44.9K

$5,442 $5,442

-11.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

6.24

-14.90%

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

Last update for Bergen: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ridgecrest, CA: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,514 in Bergen and $910 in Ridgecrest, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ridgecrest, CA pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $141 in Bergen vs $89.0 in Ridgecrest, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $538 vs $573, with Bergen cheaper for home cooking.

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 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Ridgecrest, CA. 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: $1,514 in Bergen versus $910 in Ridgecrest, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $241 in Bergen versus $1,003 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 $89.0 versus $141 in Bergen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,425 in Ridgecrest, CA versus $2,907 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 20% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.