Cost of Living Comparison Between Grimstad and Bergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Grimstad and Bergen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,382 in Grimstad versus $2,622 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,516 in Grimstad versus $3,948 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,650 in Grimstad versus $5,274 in Bergen.

Living in Grimstad costs roughly 9% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Grimstad 77% above, Bergen 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.62 NOK 215

$25.22 NOK 239

-10.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 NOK 485

$102 NOK 965

-49.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.93 NOK 142

$18.97 NOK 180

-21.30%

Cappuccino

$4.65 NOK 44.16

$5.55 NOK 52.6

-16.22%

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

$3.95 NOK 37.53

$3.17 NOK 30.10

24.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NOK 30.15

$3.01 NOK 28.56

5.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.35 NOK 117

$11.86 NOK 113

4.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.13 NOK 96.2

$9.58 NOK 90.9

5.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 NOK 22.61

$2.69 NOK 25.50

-11.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 NOK 29.55

$3.44 NOK 32.66

-9.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 NOK 29.63

$2.88 NOK 27.34

8.33%

Eggs

$3.28 NOK 31.10

$5.03 NOK 47.75

-34.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 NOK 104

$13.96 NOK 132

-21.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.84 NOK 131

$15.99 NOK 152

-13.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.01 NOK 152

$27.79 NOK 264

-42.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 NOK 19.38

$3.79 NOK 35.95

-46.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 NOK 21.32

$2.95 NOK 27.98

-23.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 NOK 31.53

$3.59 NOK 34.03

-7.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 NOK 38.33

$5.70 NOK 54.1

-29.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 NOK 23.13

$2.62 NOK 24.85

-6.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 NOK 24.37

$2.87 NOK 27.29

-10.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 NOK 26.94

$2.91 NOK 27.63

-2.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 NOK 16.54

$2.14 NOK 20.34

-18.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.98 NOK 161

$16.78 NOK 159

1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.94 NOK 151

$17.96 NOK 170

-11.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.38 NOK 32.07

$3.44 NOK 32.68

-1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 NOK 39.82

$4.32 NOK 40.97

-2.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.18 NOK 49.19

$4.44 NOK 42.14

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.0 NOK 731

$80.0 NOK 759

-3.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 NOK 97.0

$15.23 NOK 145

-32.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 NOK 13.36

$2.27 NOK 21.55

-37.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.62 NOK 405

$72.5 NOK 688

-41.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 NOK 21.67

$2.21 NOK 20.93

3.17%

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

$36.2K NOK 344.0K

$35.9K NOK 340.3K

1.09%

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

$43.2K NOK 409.9K

$42.9K NOK 407.0K

0.71%

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

$300 NOK 2,843

$243 NOK 2,311

23.03%

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

$28.50 NOK 271

$38.80 NOK 368

-26.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 NOK 541

$65.3 NOK 620

-12.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 NOK 471

$54.2 NOK 514

-8.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.88 NOK 331

$39.54 NOK 375

-11.79%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 NOK 143

$20.20 NOK 192

-25.50%

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

$269 NOK 2,552

$282 NOK 2,677

-4.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K NOK 142.1K

$12.6K NOK 119.9K

18.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 NOK 482

$90.9 NOK 863

-44.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.9 NOK 588

$55.9 NOK 531

10.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 NOK 979

$112 NOK 1,064

-8.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 NOK 1,580

$147 NOK 1,391

13.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 NOK 11.5K

$1,295 NOK 12.3K

-6.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 NOK 8,608

$973 NOK 9,238

-6.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 NOK 17.1K

$1,994 NOK 18.9K

-9.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 NOK 14.6K

$1,568 NOK 14.9K

-1.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,844 NOK 74.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,587 NOK 43.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,416 NOK 41.9K

$4,531 NOK 43.0K

-2.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.9

4.85

1.03%

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

Last update for Grimstad: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bergen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,216 in Grimstad and $1,295 in Bergen. 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: $51.0 in Grimstad vs $102 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $490 per month, with Grimstad 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

Grimstad vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grimstad is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bergen earns 3% 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: $1,216 in Grimstad versus $1,295 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $269 in Grimstad versus $282 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,382 in Grimstad versus $2,622 in Bergen, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Grimstad but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Grimstad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Grimstad 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, Grimstad 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 Grimstad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.