Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Sandefjord Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Sandefjord

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,907 in Bergen versus $2,641 in Sandefjord.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,400 in Bergen versus $3,855 in Sandefjord.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,894 in Bergen versus $5,069 in Sandefjord.

Living in Bergen is roughly 10% more expensive than in Sandefjord, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 112% above, Sandefjord 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.49 NOK 238

$21.59 NOK 201

18.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$141 NOK 1,309

$131 NOK 1,217

7.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.21 NOK 151

$16.14 NOK 150

0.43%

Cappuccino

$5.63 NOK 52.5

$5.83 NOK 54.3

-3.43%

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

$5.28 NOK 49.18

$4.30 NOK 40.10

22.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 NOK 44.12

$2.16 NOK 20.11

119.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.91 NOK 120

$10.14 NOK 94.5

27.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.52 NOK 98.0

$10.85 NOK 101

-3.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.48 NOK 23.08

$2.19 NOK 20.42

13.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 NOK 35.70

$2.74 NOK 25.52

39.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.31

$4.41 NOK 41.05

-18.82%

Eggs

$6.70 NOK 62.5

$4.21 NOK 39.22

59.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.27 NOK 142

$15.07 NOK 140

1.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.52 NOK 163

$15.47 NOK 144

13.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.05 NOK 327

$30.38 NOK 283

15.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 NOK 39.28

$2.20 NOK 20.50

91.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.26

$2.72 NOK 25.31

-0.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 NOK 34.67

$2.24 NOK 20.88

66.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.61 NOK 52.3

$2.91 NOK 27.11

92.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 23.82

$1.10 NOK 10.29

132.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.38

$2.63 NOK 24.54

32.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 NOK 28.22

$3.12 NOK 29.03

-2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 NOK 18.50

$2.54 NOK 23.66

-21.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.89 NOK 167

$16.39 NOK 153

9.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.74 NOK 175

$13.92 NOK 130

34.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 33.70

$3.52 NOK 32.76

2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 NOK 39.52

$4.30 NOK 40.07

-1.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.17 NOK 48.14

$5.37 NOK 50.0

-3.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 NOK 840

$66.1 NOK 616

36.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.70 NOK 118

$12.05 NOK 112

5.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 NOK 17.74

$1.85 NOK 17.25

2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$73.1 NOK 681

$50.4 NOK 469

45.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 NOK 20.90

$2.34 NOK 21.78

-4.27%

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

$49.8K NOK 463.6K

$48.4K NOK 450.8K

2.85%

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

$43.8K NOK 408.1K

$41.8K NOK 389.5K

4.78%

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

$286 NOK 2,662

$265 NOK 2,470

7.79%

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

$31.94 NOK 298

$32.82 NOK 306

-2.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 NOK 732

$56.6 NOK 527

38.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.64 NOK 416

$50.8 NOK 474

-12.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.59 NOK 406

$59.7 NOK 556

-26.94%

Cinema Ticket

$19.25 NOK 179

$16.18 NOK 151

18.97%

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

$241 NOK 2,242

$245 NOK 2,283

-1.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NOK 111.3K

$4,965 NOK 46.3K

140.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 NOK 994

$102 NOK 948

4.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 NOK 506

$45.29 NOK 422

19.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 NOK 1,145

$82.3 NOK 766

49.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 NOK 1,576

$158 NOK 1,477

6.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

$1,234 NOK 11.5K

22.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 NOK 10.4K

$1,021 NOK 9,514

9.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 NOK 23.2K

$1,580 NOK 14.7K

57.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 NOK 16.4K

$1,345 NOK 12.5K

30.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,741 NOK 72.1K

$6,303 NOK 58.7K

22.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,935 NOK 46.0K

$3,734 NOK 34.8K

32.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,828 NOK 45.0K

$3,997 NOK 37.2K

20.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.38

21.23%

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

Last update for Bergen: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sandefjord: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,514 in Bergen and $1,234 in Sandefjord. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 21% 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: $141 in Bergen vs $131 in Sandefjord for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $538 vs $454 per month, with Sandefjord 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 Sandefjord: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sandefjord is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 21% 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: $1,514 in Bergen versus $1,234 in Sandefjord. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $241 in Bergen versus $245 in Sandefjord. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Sandefjord is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Sandefjord 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 Sandefjord 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 Sandefjord gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.