Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamar and Bergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamar and Bergen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,379 in Hamar versus $2,658 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,737 in Hamar versus $4,013 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,095 in Hamar versus $5,368 in Bergen.

Living in Hamar costs roughly 11% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamar 79% above, Bergen 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.39 NOK 241

$25.18 NOK 239

0.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 NOK 1,157

$102 NOK 970

19.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.27 NOK 145

$19.35 NOK 183

-21.09%

Cappuccino

$5.07 NOK 48.03

$5.34 NOK 50.7

-5.06%

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

$4.21 NOK 39.92

$3.24 NOK 30.68

29.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NOK 30.12

$2.90 NOK 27.47

9.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.96 NOK 113

$11.61 NOK 110

3.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 NOK 77.6

$9.63 NOK 91.3

-14.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 NOK 19.93

$2.71 NOK 25.70

-22.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 NOK 26.97

$3.44 NOK 32.64

-17.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 NOK 19.40

$2.79 NOK 26.44

-26.52%

Eggs

$5.20 NOK 49.27

$5.03 NOK 47.68

3.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 NOK 98.8

$13.95 NOK 132

-25.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.20 NOK 116

$15.55 NOK 147

-21.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.13 NOK 295

$27.87 NOK 264

11.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 NOK 32.66

$3.81 NOK 36.09

-9.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 NOK 23.69

$2.96 NOK 28.07

-15.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 NOK 27.37

$3.58 NOK 33.98

-19.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 NOK 48.21

$5.51 NOK 52.3

-7.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 NOK 22.55

$2.60 NOK 24.70

-8.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 NOK 22.69

$2.75 NOK 26.09

-13.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 NOK 18.96

$2.77 NOK 26.26

-27.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NOK 17.92

$2.11 NOK 20.02

-10.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.40 NOK 165

$16.74 NOK 159

3.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.04 NOK 171

$17.70 NOK 168

1.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NOK 33.37

$3.39 NOK 32.11

3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 NOK 40.34

$4.30 NOK 40.77

-1.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.48 NOK 42.53

$4.37 NOK 41.45

2.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 NOK 612

$79.8 NOK 757

-19.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 NOK 94.6

$15.20 NOK 144

-34.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 13.12

$2.20 NOK 20.87

-37.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.66 NOK 404

$72.6 NOK 689

-41.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 19.97

$2.21 NOK 20.98

-4.52%

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

$35.9K NOK 340.4K

$35.8K NOK 339.6K

0.25%

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

$43.2K NOK 409.8K

$43.7K NOK 414.2K

-1.06%

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

$218 NOK 2,072

$244 NOK 2,314

-10.47%

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

$31.47 NOK 298

$38.05 NOK 361

-17.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NOK 533

$65.4 NOK 620

-14.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.7 NOK 528

$54.2 NOK 513

2.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.97 NOK 265

$39.77 NOK 377

-29.67%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 NOK 171

$19.90 NOK 189

-9.45%

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

$203 NOK 1,921

$284 NOK 2,692

-28.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K NOK 138.6K

$12.9K NOK 122.2K

13.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 NOK 1,002

$92.5 NOK 877

14.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 NOK 573

$55.7 NOK 528

8.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 NOK 1,148

$113 NOK 1,067

7.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NOK 976

$143 NOK 1,360

-28.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 NOK 11.0K

$1,304 NOK 12.4K

-11.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$824 NOK 7,811

$997 NOK 9,455

-17.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 NOK 14.2K

$2,032 NOK 19.3K

-26.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 NOK 13.7K

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

-9.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,211 NOK 39.9K

$7,558 NOK 71.7K

-44.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,448 NOK 32.7K

$4,679 NOK 44.4K

-26.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,111 NOK 39.0K

$4,385 NOK 41.6K

-6.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

4.85

4.74%

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

Last update for Hamar: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bergen: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,160 in Hamar and $1,304 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 7% 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: $122 in Hamar vs $102 in Bergen. Groceries flip the comparison at $438 vs $485, with Hamar 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

Hamar vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% 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: $1,160 in Hamar versus $1,304 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $203 in Hamar versus $284 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Hamar is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Hamar 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, Hamar 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 Hamar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.