Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Sarpsborg Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Sarpsborg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,658 in Bergen versus $2,531 in Sarpsborg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,013 in Bergen versus $3,800 in Sarpsborg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,368 in Bergen versus $5,068 in Sarpsborg.

Living in Bergen is roughly 5% more expensive than in Sarpsborg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 100% above, Sarpsborg 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.18 NOK 242

$38.33 NOK 368

-34.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 982

$92.9 NOK 891

10.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.35 NOK 186

$18.37 NOK 176

5.33%

Cappuccino

$5.34 NOK 51.2

$5.45 NOK 52.3

-2.02%

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

$3.24 NOK 31.04

$2.74 NOK 26.26

18.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 NOK 27.79

$2.50 NOK 23.96

16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.61 NOK 111

$5.92 NOK 56.8

96.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.63 NOK 92.4

$7.85 NOK 75.3

22.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 NOK 26.00

$2.25 NOK 21.60

20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 NOK 33.02

$3.43 NOK 32.87

0.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 NOK 26.75

$3.30 NOK 31.69

-15.45%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 48.24

$4.35 NOK 41.68

15.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.95 NOK 134

$11.81 NOK 113

18.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.55 NOK 149

$14.83 NOK 142

4.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.87 NOK 267

$27.38 NOK 263

1.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 NOK 36.51

$3.53 NOK 33.89

7.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 NOK 28.39

$2.49 NOK 23.86

18.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 34.37

$3.31 NOK 31.78

8.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 NOK 52.9

$4.40 NOK 42.21

25.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.98

$2.45 NOK 23.51

6.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 NOK 26.39

$2.56 NOK 24.60

7.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 NOK 26.56

$2.76 NOK 26.52

0.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 NOK 20.25

$1.82 NOK 17.41

15.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.74 NOK 161

$15.07 NOK 145

11.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.70 NOK 170

$16.63 NOK 160

6.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 NOK 32.48

$3.28 NOK 31.48

3.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 NOK 41.24

$3.98 NOK 38.21

8.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.37 NOK 41.93

$2.51 NOK 24.12

74.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.8 NOK 766

$73.1 NOK 701

9.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.20 NOK 146

$10.02 NOK 96.1

51.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 NOK 21.11

$1.45 NOK 13.93

51.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.6 NOK 697

$46.91 NOK 450

54.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 21.23

$2.08 NOK 19.92

6.25%

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

$35.8K NOK 343.5K

$36.1K NOK 346.1K

-0.76%

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

$43.7K NOK 419.0K

$39.2K NOK 376.1K

11.40%

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

$244 NOK 2,341

$238 NOK 2,282

2.58%

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

$38.05 NOK 365

$38.73 NOK 372

-1.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 NOK 627

$55.2 NOK 529

18.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 NOK 519

$49.40 NOK 474

9.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.77 NOK 381

$34.87 NOK 334

14.05%

Cinema Ticket

$19.90 NOK 191

$16.78 NOK 161

18.59%

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

$284 NOK 2,723

$288 NOK 2,761

-1.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 123.6K

$10.1K NOK 97.0K

27.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.5 NOK 888

$95.4 NOK 915

-2.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 NOK 534

$52.7 NOK 506

5.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 NOK 1,080

$106 NOK 1,021

5.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NOK 1,376

$151 NOK 1,449

-5.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 NOK 12.5K

$1,192 NOK 11.4K

9.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 NOK 9,565

$885 NOK 8,493

12.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,032 NOK 19.5K

$1,532 NOK 14.7K

32.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.3K

$1,290 NOK 12.4K

23.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,558 NOK 72.5K

$5,754 NOK 55.2K

31.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,679 NOK 44.9K

$4,063 NOK 39.0K

15.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,385 NOK 42.1K

$2,612 NOK 25.1K

67.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

4.38

10.73%

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

Last update for Bergen: July 28, 2026

Last update for Sarpsborg: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,304 in Bergen and $1,192 in Sarpsborg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 68% 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: $102 in Bergen vs $93.0 in Sarpsborg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $485 vs $450 per month, with Sarpsborg 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 Sarpsborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarpsborg is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 68% 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: $1,304 in Bergen versus $1,192 in Sarpsborg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $284 in Bergen versus $288 in Sarpsborg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% 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. Sarpsborg is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Sarpsborg 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 Sarpsborg 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 Sarpsborg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.