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: $2,217 in Grimstad versus $2,942 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,795 in Grimstad versus $4,473 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,373 in Grimstad versus $6,004 in Bergen.

Living in Grimstad costs roughly 25% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Grimstad 61% above, Bergen 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.54 NOK 200

$24.62 NOK 228

-12.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 NOK 737

$140 NOK 1,294

-43.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.52 NOK 144

$16.47 NOK 153

-5.77%

Cappuccino

$4.83 NOK 44.83

$5.92 NOK 54.9

-18.41%

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

$4.34 NOK 40.27

$5.17 NOK 48.00

-16.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 NOK 32.67

$4.63 NOK 42.96

-23.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.77 NOK 109

$12.94 NOK 120

-9.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.92 NOK 101

$10.70 NOK 99.3

2.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 NOK 24.09

$2.48 NOK 22.99

4.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 NOK 34.84

$3.82 NOK 35.42

-1.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 NOK 29.21

$3.47 NOK 32.20

-9.22%

Eggs

$3.62 NOK 33.56

$6.75 NOK 62.6

-46.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 NOK 124

$15.20 NOK 141

-12.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.60 NOK 135

$17.60 NOK 163

-17.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.16 NOK 233

$35.27 NOK 327

-28.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 NOK 20.25

$4.13 NOK 38.35

-47.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 NOK 22.10

$2.86 NOK 26.52

-16.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 NOK 32.49

$3.60 NOK 33.43

-2.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 NOK 40.91

$5.80 NOK 53.8

-23.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 NOK 25.81

$2.52 NOK 23.33

10.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 NOK 27.65

$3.34 NOK 31.01

-10.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.20 NOK 29.72

$2.93 NOK 27.19

9.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 NOK 17.93

$2.06 NOK 19.07

-6.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.65 NOK 182

$18.04 NOK 167

8.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.93 NOK 148

$18.63 NOK 173

-14.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 NOK 32.30

$3.56 NOK 33.06

-2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 NOK 41.18

$4.27 NOK 39.64

3.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.53 NOK 51.3

$5.21 NOK 48.37

6.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.2 NOK 883

$89.0 NOK 826

6.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.33 NOK 114

$12.91 NOK 120

-4.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NOK 17.12

$1.90 NOK 17.66

-2.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$71.1 NOK 659

$75.3 NOK 698

-5.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 20.88

$2.36 NOK 21.94

-4.66%

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

$49.3K NOK 456.9K

$49.9K NOK 463.0K

-1.30%

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

$46.3K NOK 429.1K

$44.8K NOK 415.9K

3.17%

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

$317 NOK 2,943

$296 NOK 2,747

7.12%

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

$33.46 NOK 310

$31.98 NOK 297

4.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 NOK 534

$78.9 NOK 732

-27.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.15 NOK 400

$45.57 NOK 423

-5.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.44 NOK 412

Cinema Ticket

$16.42 NOK 152

$19.31 NOK 179

-14.97%

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

$254 NOK 2,355

$250 NOK 2,323

1.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K NOK 151.0K

$12.3K NOK 114.1K

32.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.7 NOK 907

$109 NOK 1,013

-10.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 NOK 505

$55.7 NOK 516

-2.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 NOK 997

$122 NOK 1,128

-11.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,467

$171 NOK 1,588

-7.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 NOK 8,530

$1,542 NOK 14.3K

-40.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 NOK 4,964

$1,118 NOK 10.4K

-52.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 NOK 18.4K

$2,485 NOK 23.1K

-20.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 NOK 17.0K

$1,767 NOK 16.4K

3.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,773 NOK 44.3K

$7,803 NOK 72.4K

-38.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,457 NOK 32.1K

$4,910 NOK 45.5K

-29.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,632 NOK 43.0K

$4,848 NOK 45.0K

-4.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.9

5.31

-7.72%

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

Last update for Grimstad: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bergen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $919 in Grimstad and $1,542 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 5% 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: $79.0 in Grimstad vs $140 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $539 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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $919 in Grimstad versus $1,542 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $254 in Grimstad versus $250 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,217 in Grimstad versus $2,942 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 33% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.