Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Sandvika

For one person, living is cheaper in Sandvika: $2,692 a month against $3,093 in Bergen, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bergen, Norway
Sandvika, Norway
Bergen
🇳🇴 Norway
$3,093
/mo nomad
Sandvika
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bergen and in Sandvika

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bergen and in Sandvika actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,093 in Bergen versus $2,692 in Sandvika.

  • Bergen $3,093
  • Sandvika $2,692

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,619 in Bergen versus $4,138 in Sandvika.

  • Bergen $4,619
  • Sandvika $4,138

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,145 in Bergen versus $5,584 in Sandvika.

  • Bergen $6,145
  • Sandvika $5,584

Living in Bergen is roughly 15% more expensive than in Sandvika, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 127% above, Sandvika 98% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bergen
Sandvika
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.85 NOK 222
$17.04 NOK 158
39.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$141 NOK 1,313
$99.0 NOK 919
42.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.30 NOK 151
$21.69 NOK 201
-24.85%
Cappuccino
$5.62 NOK 52.2
$4.21 NOK 39.11
33.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.19 NOK 48.23
$2.95 NOK 27.44
75.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.57 NOK 42.47
$2.40 NOK 22.26
90.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.92 NOK 120
$8.41 NOK 78.1
53.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.71 NOK 99.5
$10.90 NOK 101
-1.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bergen
Sandvika
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.35 NOK 21.79
$2.46 NOK 22.85
-4.47%
White Bread (500g)
$3.83 NOK 35.60
$3.63 NOK 33.76
5.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.45 NOK 32.02
$4.02 NOK 37.31
-14.18%
Eggs
$6.67 NOK 62.0
$4.93 NOK 45.78
35.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.89 NOK 138
$13.47 NOK 125
10.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.88 NOK 166
$27.98 NOK 260
-36.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$37.65 NOK 350
$25.31 NOK 235
48.76%
Apples (1kg)
$4.10 NOK 38.11
$3.41 NOK 31.69
20.23%
Banana (1kg)
$2.80 NOK 26.03
$2.65 NOK 24.61
5.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.70 NOK 34.38
$3.66 NOK 34.04
1.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.54 NOK 51.5
$4.84 NOK 45.01
14.46%
Potato (1kg)
$2.46 NOK 22.90
$2.62 NOK 24.34
-6.11%
Onion (1kg)
$3.41 NOK 31.67
$3.31 NOK 30.76
3.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.08 NOK 28.60
$2.47 NOK 22.97
24.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 NOK 17.02
$1.63 NOK 15.15
12.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.65 NOK 164
$15.95 NOK 148
10.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.73 NOK 183
$19.24 NOK 179
2.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.83 NOK 35.56
$3.85 NOK 35.74
-0.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 NOK 41.24
$5.51 NOK 51.2
-19.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Bergen
Sandvika
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.32 NOK 49.47
$4.13 NOK 38.41
28.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.0 NOK 827
$87.6 NOK 814
1.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$12.82 NOK 119
$8.53 NOK 79.3
50.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.95 NOK 18.14
$1.63 NOK 15.18
19.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$74.9 NOK 696
$55.3 NOK 514
35.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.41 NOK 22.36
$2.44 NOK 22.65
-1.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.1K NOK 465.1K
$44.7K NOK 415.7K
11.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.8K NOK 415.9K
$45.0K NOK 417.9K
-0.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen
Sandvika
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$292 NOK 2,709
$273 NOK 2,537
6.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.90 NOK 315
$31.94 NOK 297
6.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.1 NOK 790
$68.3 NOK 634
24.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bergen
Sandvika
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.43 NOK 450
$66.3 NOK 616
-26.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$44.06 NOK 409
$37.40 NOK 348
17.81%
Cinema Ticket
$19.28 NOK 179
$21.25 NOK 197
-9.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bergen
Sandvika
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$251 NOK 2,331
$307 NOK 2,854
-18.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.0K NOK 111.2K
$13.1K NOK 121.5K
-8.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bergen
Sandvika
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108 NOK 1,000
$148 NOK 1,372
-27.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.1 NOK 521
$64.8 NOK 602
-13.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$120 NOK 1,116
$134 NOK 1,242
-10.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$166 NOK 1,541
$211 NOK 1,956
-21.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bergen
Sandvika
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,627 NOK 15.1K
$1,244 NOK 11.6K
30.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,283 NOK 11.9K
$964 NOK 8,957
33.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,668 NOK 24.8K
$2,119 NOK 19.7K
25.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,928 NOK 17.9K
$1,722 NOK 16.0K
11.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,228 NOK 76.4K
$8,508 NOK 79.0K
-3.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,382 NOK 50.0K
$4,631 NOK 43.0K
16.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bergen
Sandvika
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,732 NOK 44.0K
$5,470 NOK 50.8K
-13.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.27
5.03
4.77%

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

Last update for Bergen: October 26, 2026

Last update for Sandvika: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bergen
$1.3K
Sandvika
$964 24.9% $319
Groceries & Markets
Bergen
$545
Sandvika
$537 1.4% $7.6
Eating Out
Bergen
$432
Sandvika
$337 22% $95
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen
$411
Sandvika
$373 9.1% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Bergen
$202
Sandvika
$251 23.8% $48
Getting Around
Bergen
$133
Sandvika
$121 9% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Bergen
$87
Sandvika
$109 25% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,627 in Bergen and $1,244 in Sandvika. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandvika 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: $141 in Bergen vs $99 in Sandvika for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $545 vs $537 per month, with Sandvika cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Bergen
🇳🇴 Sandvika
🕒 Local time
02:55 2:55 AM
02:55 2:55 AM
Same time as Bergen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
292,482
129,572
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 9.29 NOK (1 NOK = 0.108 USD). 1 EUR = 10.34 NOK (100 NOK = 9.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bergen Sandvika 290 km
From you
  • Bergen
  • Sandvika

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sandvika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sandvika cheaper than Bergen?
Sandvika is about 13% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, utilities, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Bergen or Sandvika?
On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Bergen. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Bergen and Sandvika?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,627 in Bergen versus $1,244 in Sandvika. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Bergen or in Sandvika?
Dining out is cheaper in Sandvika – a meal for two runs $99 versus $141 in Bergen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $251 in Bergen versus $307 in Sandvika. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Bergen or in Sandvika?
At $2,692 in Sandvika versus $3,093 in Bergen, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Sandvika but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Sandvika the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Bergen or in Sandvika?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Bergen or Sandvika?
Safety-wise, Bergen and Sandvika are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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