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: $3,011 in Fairbanks, AK versus $2,907 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,383 in Fairbanks, AK versus $4,400 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,756 in Fairbanks, AK versus $5,894 in Bergen.

Living in Fairbanks, AK is roughly 4% more expensive than in Bergen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fairbanks, AK 119% above, Bergen 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.10 $25.10

$25.49 NOK 237

-1.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$141 NOK 1,308

-28.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.22 $15.22

$16.21 NOK 151

-6.11%

Cappuccino

$6.22 $6.22

$5.63 NOK 52.4

10.48%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$5.28 NOK 49.12

-47.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$4.74 NOK 44.07

-58.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 $7.09

$12.91 NOK 120

-45.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$10.52 NOK 97.9

-3.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$2.48 NOK 23.05

-53.23%

White Bread (500g)

$5.43 $5.43

$3.83 NOK 35.66

41.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.58 NOK 33.28

35.75%

Eggs

$4.27 $4.27

$6.70 NOK 62.4

-36.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.35 $22.35

$15.27 NOK 142

46.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 $9.00

$17.52 NOK 163

-48.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.60 $20.60

$35.05 NOK 326

-41.23%

Apples (1kg)

$7.68 $7.68

$4.22 NOK 39.23

81.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.71 NOK 25.23

-23.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$3.72 NOK 34.63

59.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$5.61 NOK 52.3

15.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.56 NOK 23.79

42.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.48 NOK 32.34

3.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.03 NOK 28.18

-4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.99 NOK 18.48

2.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.91 $11.91

$17.89 NOK 166

-33.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 $11.99

$18.74 NOK 174

-36.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$3.62 NOK 33.66

-52.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 NOK 39.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 $1.48

$5.17 NOK 48.08

-71.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.60 $39.60

$90.2 NOK 839

-56.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 $3.57

$12.70 NOK 118

-71.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.90 NOK 17.72

12.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.14 $44.14

$73.1 NOK 681

-39.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.24 NOK 20.87

-43.30%

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

$49.8K NOK 463.1K

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

$43.8K NOK 407.6K

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

$208 $208

$286 NOK 2,659

-27.05%

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

$61.3 $61.3

$31.94 NOK 297

91.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$142 $142

$78.6 NOK 731

81.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 $98.7

$44.64 NOK 415

121.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.59 NOK 406

Cinema Ticket

$18.17 $18.17

$19.25 NOK 179

-5.61%

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

$1,821 $1,821

$241 NOK 2,239

656.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NOK 111.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 $60.8

$107 NOK 993

-43.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 $39.70

$54.3 NOK 505

-26.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$123 NOK 1,144

-3.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$169 NOK 1,574

-28.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 $1,569

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

3.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 $1,397

$1,119 NOK 10.4K

24.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,620 $2,620

$2,489 NOK 23.2K

5.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,191 $2,191

$1,758 NOK 16.4K

24.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,003 $2,003

$7,741 NOK 72.0K

-74.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,019 $2,019

$4,935 NOK 45.9K

-59.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,932 $3,932

$4,828 NOK 44.9K

-18.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.27

5.31

18.08%

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

Last update for Fairbanks, AK: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bergen: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Fairbanks, AK and $1,514 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $100 in Fairbanks, AK vs $141 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $470 vs $538 per month, with Fairbanks, AK 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

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

Bergen is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 23% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,569 in Fairbanks, AK versus $1,514 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,821 in Fairbanks, AK versus $241 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Fairbanks, AK pay roughly 14% 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 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 4% less than in Fairbanks, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.