Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairbanks, AK and Bergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairbanks, AK and Bergen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,108 in Fairbanks, AK versus $2,605 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,296 in Fairbanks, AK versus $3,923 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,485 in Fairbanks, AK versus $5,240 in Bergen.

Living in Fairbanks, AK is roughly 19% more expensive than Bergen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fairbanks, AK 132% above, Bergen 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.17 $25.17

$25.78 NOK 241

-2.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.0 $89.0

$100 NOK 935

-11.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.98 $13.98

$18.96 NOK 177

-26.27%

Cappuccino

$5.88 $5.88

$5.36 NOK 50.1

9.70%

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

$2.87 $2.87

$3.21 NOK 30.01

-10.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.03 NOK 28.28

-32.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 $7.91

$11.53 NOK 108

-31.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$9.67 NOK 90.3

4.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$2.64 NOK 24.62

-56.82%

White Bread (500g)

$5.18 $5.18

$3.36 NOK 31.36

54.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$2.90 NOK 27.05

77.93%

Eggs

$4.39 $4.39

$5.11 NOK 47.68

-14.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.64 $17.64

$13.96 NOK 130

26.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.64 $16.64

$16.06 NOK 150

3.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.74 $20.74

$28.05 NOK 262

-26.06%

Apples (1kg)

$7.82 $7.82

$3.75 NOK 35.01

108.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.94 NOK 27.43

-4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$3.61 NOK 33.73

87.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.47 $7.47

$5.52 NOK 51.5

35.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.72 NOK 25.37

44.12%

Onion (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.77 NOK 25.85

71.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.85 NOK 26.58

2.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.15 NOK 20.05

-6.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.23 $11.23

$16.93 NOK 158

-33.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.04 $12.04

$18.39 NOK 172

-34.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$3.35 NOK 31.24

-48.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$4.27 NOK 39.87

-76.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 $1.46

$4.56 NOK 42.61

-67.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.16 $40.16

$80.5 NOK 752

-50.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$15.36 NOK 143

-76.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.28 NOK 21.25

-2.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.52 $44.52

$72.7 NOK 679

-38.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$2.16 NOK 20.21

-51.39%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$35.0K NOK 326.8K

-14.28%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$43.6K NOK 406.8K

-40.25%

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

$169 $169

$238 NOK 2,218

-28.96%

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

$60.5 $60.5

$38.16 NOK 356

58.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$116 $116

$64.1 NOK 598

81.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.5 $98.5

$55.2 NOK 516

78.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.59 NOK 379

Cinema Ticket

$17.27 $17.27

$19.99 NOK 187

-13.61%

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

$1,202 $1,202

$281 NOK 2,623

327.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$12.9K NOK 120.7K

80.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 $59.8

$90.5 NOK 845

-33.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.83 $39.83

$55.0 NOK 513

-27.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 $85.2

$111 NOK 1,039

-23.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$147 NOK 1,376

-18.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 $1,655

$1,275 NOK 11.9K

29.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 $1,529

$997 NOK 9,309

53.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,223 $2,223

$2,004 NOK 18.7K

10.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,014 $2,014

$1,576 NOK 14.7K

27.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,045 $2,045

$7,998 NOK 74.7K

-74.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,013 $2,013

$4,773 NOK 44.6K

-57.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,884 $3,884

$4,646 NOK 43.4K

-16.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

4.85

34.64%

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

Last update for Fairbanks, AK: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bergen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,655 in Fairbanks, AK and $1,275 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $89.0 in Fairbanks, AK vs $100 in Bergen. Groceries flip the comparison at $512 vs $490, with Bergen 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

Fairbanks, AK vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bergen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bergen earns 20% less. 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: $1,655 in Fairbanks, AK versus $1,275 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,202 in Fairbanks, AK versus $281 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Fairbanks, AK. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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 Fairbanks, AK, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Fairbanks, AK and Bergen 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 19% less than in Fairbanks, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.