Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Tonsberg Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Tonsberg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,907 in Bergen versus $2,702 in Tonsberg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,400 in Bergen versus $3,937 in Tonsberg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,894 in Bergen versus $5,172 in Tonsberg.

Living in Bergen is roughly 8% more expensive than in Tonsberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen 112% above, Tonsberg 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.49 NOK 237

$20.99 NOK 195

21.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$141 NOK 1,308

$107 NOK 997

31.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.21 NOK 151

$15.96 NOK 148

1.57%

Cappuccino

$5.63 NOK 52.4

$5.55 NOK 51.6

1.44%

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

$5.28 NOK 49.12

$5.73 NOK 53.3

-7.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 NOK 44.07

$5.43 NOK 50.5

-12.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.91 NOK 120

$11.96 NOK 111

7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.52 NOK 97.9

$10.77 NOK 100

-2.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.48 NOK 23.05

$2.28 NOK 21.21

8.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 NOK 35.66

$3.58 NOK 33.33

6.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.28

$4.42 NOK 41.17

-19.00%

Eggs

$6.70 NOK 62.4

$4.87 NOK 45.36

37.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.27 NOK 142

$11.56 NOK 108

32.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.52 NOK 163

$15.09 NOK 140

16.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.05 NOK 326

$33.62 NOK 313

4.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 NOK 39.23

$3.03 NOK 28.19

39.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.23

$2.35 NOK 21.87

15.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 NOK 34.63

$3.05 NOK 28.39

21.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.61 NOK 52.3

$5.70 NOK 53.0

-1.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 23.79

$2.55 NOK 23.76

0.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.34

$2.87 NOK 26.73

21.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 NOK 28.18

$3.02 NOK 28.14

0.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 NOK 18.48

$2.08 NOK 19.40

-4.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.89 NOK 166

$16.36 NOK 152

9.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.74 NOK 174

$19.07 NOK 177

-1.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 33.66

$3.70 NOK 34.44

-2.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 NOK 39.48

$4.10 NOK 38.15

3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.17 NOK 48.08

$4.92 NOK 45.82

5.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 NOK 839

$84.9 NOK 790

6.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.70 NOK 118

$10.44 NOK 97.1

21.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 NOK 17.72

$1.75 NOK 16.28

8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$73.1 NOK 681

$77.6 NOK 722

-5.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 NOK 20.87

$2.63 NOK 24.45

-14.83%

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

$49.8K NOK 463.1K

$46.2K NOK 430.4K

7.60%

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

$43.8K NOK 407.6K

$40.9K NOK 381.0K

6.97%

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

$286 NOK 2,659

$278 NOK 2,584

2.92%

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

$31.94 NOK 297

$32.56 NOK 303

-1.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 NOK 731

$55.9 NOK 520

40.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.64 NOK 415

$48.71 NOK 453

-8.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.59 NOK 406

$42.76 NOK 398

1.94%

Cinema Ticket

$19.25 NOK 179

$18.06 NOK 168

6.59%

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

$241 NOK 2,239

$233 NOK 2,170

3.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NOK 111.2K

$11.5K NOK 107.2K

3.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 NOK 993

$90.0 NOK 837

18.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 NOK 505

$62.5 NOK 582

-13.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 NOK 1,144

$144 NOK 1,338

-14.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 NOK 1,574

$144 NOK 1,341

17.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

$1,239 NOK 11.5K

22.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 NOK 10.4K

$995 NOK 9,258

12.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 NOK 23.2K

$1,511 NOK 14.1K

64.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 NOK 16.4K

$1,285 NOK 12.0K

36.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,741 NOK 72.0K

$6,490 NOK 60.4K

19.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,935 NOK 45.9K

$4,779 NOK 44.5K

3.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,828 NOK 44.9K

$4,667 NOK 43.4K

3.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.96

7.06%

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

Last update for Bergen: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,514 in Bergen and $1,239 in Tonsberg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 3% 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 $107 in Tonsberg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $538 vs $492 per month, with Tonsberg 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 Tonsberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tonsberg is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3% 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 $1,239 in Tonsberg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $241 in Bergen versus $233 in Tonsberg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

For families, Tonsberg 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 Tonsberg 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 Tonsberg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.