Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,658 in Bergen versus $2,699 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,013 in Bergen versus $4,150 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,368 in Bergen versus $5,601 in Stavanger.

Living in Bergen costs roughly 2% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 100% above, Stavanger 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.18 NOK 239

$25.22 NOK 239

-0.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 970

$123 NOK 1,167

-16.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.35 NOK 183

$15.08 NOK 143

28.32%

Cappuccino

$5.34 NOK 50.7

$5.02 NOK 47.61

6.37%

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

$3.24 NOK 30.68

$3.89 NOK 36.85

-16.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 NOK 27.47

$3.40 NOK 32.26

-14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.61 NOK 110

$10.99 NOK 104

5.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.63 NOK 91.3

$10.26 NOK 97.3

-6.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 NOK 25.70

$2.40 NOK 22.72

12.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 NOK 32.64

$3.11 NOK 29.46

10.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 NOK 26.44

$4.64 NOK 44.03

-39.87%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 47.68

$4.52 NOK 42.88

11.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.95 NOK 132

$12.98 NOK 123

7.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.55 NOK 147

$16.24 NOK 154

-4.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.87 NOK 264

$27.67 NOK 262

0.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 NOK 36.09

$3.53 NOK 33.45

7.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 NOK 28.07

$2.52 NOK 23.92

17.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.98

$3.05 NOK 28.94

17.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 NOK 52.3

$4.66 NOK 44.17

18.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.70

$2.05 NOK 19.44

26.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 NOK 26.09

$3.04 NOK 28.86

-9.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 NOK 26.26

$2.58 NOK 24.47

7.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 NOK 20.02

$1.75 NOK 16.56

20.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.74 NOK 159

$15.11 NOK 143

10.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.70 NOK 168

$17.96 NOK 170

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 NOK 32.11

$3.54 NOK 33.60

-4.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 NOK 40.77

$4.08 NOK 38.69

5.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.37 NOK 41.45

$4.58 NOK 43.44

-4.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.8 NOK 757

$69.1 NOK 656

15.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.20 NOK 144

$15.37 NOK 146

-1.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 NOK 20.87

$2.07 NOK 19.62

6.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.6 NOK 689

$103 NOK 972

-29.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 20.98

$2.21 NOK 20.92

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

$35.8K NOK 339.6K

$34.7K NOK 329.2K

3.14%

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

$43.7K NOK 414.2K

$32.7K NOK 310.2K

33.52%

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

$244 NOK 2,314

$192 NOK 1,821

27.06%

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

$38.05 NOK 361

$42.41 NOK 402

-10.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 NOK 620

$80.9 NOK 767

-19.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 NOK 513

$55.8 NOK 529

-2.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.77 NOK 377

$35.17 NOK 333

13.08%

Cinema Ticket

$19.90 NOK 189

$19.02 NOK 180

4.63%

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

$284 NOK 2,692

$314 NOK 2,975

-9.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 122.2K

$12.9K NOK 122.1K

0.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.5 NOK 877

$116 NOK 1,096

-19.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 NOK 528

$58.4 NOK 553

-4.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 NOK 1,067

$107 NOK 1,018

4.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NOK 1,360

$157 NOK 1,493

-8.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 NOK 12.4K

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

-18.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 NOK 9,455

$1,135 NOK 10.8K

-12.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,032 NOK 19.3K

$2,798 NOK 26.5K

-27.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

$1,777 NOK 16.9K

-10.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,558 NOK 71.7K

$6,005 NOK 56.9K

25.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,679 NOK 44.4K

$5,223 NOK 49.5K

-10.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,385 NOK 41.6K

$4,909 NOK 46.6K

-10.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

4.51

7.54%

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

Last update for Bergen: July 28, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,304 in Bergen and $1,595 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 12% 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 $123 in Stavanger. Groceries flip the comparison at $485 vs $468, with Stavanger 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 Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bergen is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Stavanger. 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: $1,304 in Bergen versus $1,595 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $284 in Bergen versus $314 in Stavanger. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Stavanger pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Bergen is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Bergen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Stavanger, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bergen and Stavanger 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 Bergen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.