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: $2,626 in Bergen versus $2,471 in Ridgecrest, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,929 in Bergen versus $3,922 in Ridgecrest, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,232 in Bergen versus $5,372 in Ridgecrest, CA.

Living in Bergen is roughly 6% more expensive than in Ridgecrest, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 97% above, Ridgecrest, CA 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.09 NOK 242

$24.98 $24.98

0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 NOK 967

$99.0 $99.0

1.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.30 NOK 186

$14.72 $14.72

31.11%

Cappuccino

$5.38 NOK 51.7

$5.86 $5.86

-8.19%

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

$3.19 NOK 30.67

$3.07 $3.07

3.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 NOK 28.71

$2.05 $2.05

45.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.57 NOK 111

$8.19 $8.19

41.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.48 NOK 91.2

$9.32 $9.32

1.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.75 NOK 26.51

$1.29 $1.29

113.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 NOK 32.98

$4.87 $4.87

-29.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 NOK 27.58

$7.63 $7.63

-62.39%

Eggs

$5.06 NOK 48.70

$5.35 $5.35

-5.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.90 NOK 134

$23.52 $23.52

-40.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.64 NOK 151

$17.47 $17.47

-10.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.47 NOK 264

$28.89 $28.89

-4.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 NOK 38.02

$7.11 $7.11

-44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 NOK 29.46

$2.92 $2.92

4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 NOK 36.20

$5.53 $5.53

-32.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.74 NOK 55.3

$4.51 $4.51

27.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 NOK 25.17

$2.90 $2.90

-9.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 NOK 27.84

$5.77 $5.77

-49.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 27.40

$4.11 $4.11

-30.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 NOK 19.92

$3.09 $3.09

-33.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.42 NOK 158

$12.73 $12.73

28.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 NOK 173

$15.84 $15.84

13.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 32.21

$1.78 $1.78

88.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 NOK 41.27

$3.94 $3.94

8.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.47 NOK 42.97

$1.96 $1.96

128.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.6 NOK 766

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.53 NOK 149

$5.86 $5.86

165.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 NOK 21.63

$1.63 $1.63

38.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$73.1 NOK 703

$50.4 $50.4

44.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 21.61

$1.23 $1.23

82.93%

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

$36.1K NOK 347.4K

$35.1K $35.1K

2.91%

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

$43.1K NOK 414.9K

$25.6K $25.6K

68.63%

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

$237 NOK 2,279

$233 $233

1.46%

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

$39.26 NOK 378

$62.7 $62.7

-37.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 NOK 614

$77.0 $77.0

-17.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 NOK 521

$32.35 $32.35

67.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.70 NOK 392

Cinema Ticket

$20.31 NOK 195

$9.33 $9.33

117.68%

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

$279 NOK 2,684

$1,443 $1,443

-80.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K NOK 120.5K

$37.2K $37.2K

-66.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 NOK 892

$70.8 $70.8

30.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 NOK 533

$45.89 $45.89

20.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 NOK 1,105

$107 $107

7.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 NOK 1,407

$143 $143

2.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 NOK 12.3K

$909 $909

40.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 NOK 9,555

$907 $907

9.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 NOK 19.7K

$1,869 $1,869

9.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 NOK 15.3K

$1,782 $1,782

-10.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,553 NOK 72.7K

$13.0K $13.0K

-42.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,856 NOK 46.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,481 NOK 43.1K

$5,411 $5,411

-17.20%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Ridgecrest, CA: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,275 in Bergen and $909 in Ridgecrest, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ridgecrest, CA pays 21% 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 $99.0 in Ridgecrest, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $489 vs $578, 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 21% 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: $1,275 in Bergen versus $909 in Ridgecrest, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $279 in Bergen versus $1,443 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 $99.0 versus $100 in Bergen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,471 in Ridgecrest, CA versus $2,626 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 6% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.