Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamar and Bergen

For one person, living is cheaper in Hamar: $2,461 a month against $3,093 in Bergen, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

118

Cost of Living Index in Hamar
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Hamar Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Bergen
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Bergen Living Index

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Hamar

🇳🇴 Norway

$2,461

/mo nomad

Bergen

🇳🇴 Norway

$3,093

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hamar and in Bergen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hamar and in Bergen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,461 in Hamar versus $3,093 in Bergen.

Hamar $2,461
Bergen $3,093

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in Hamar versus $4,619 in Bergen.

Hamar $3,857
Bergen $4,619

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,253 in Hamar versus $6,145 in Bergen.

Hamar $5,253
Bergen $6,145

Living in Hamar costs roughly 20% less than in Bergen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamar 81% above, Bergen 127% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.67 NOK 200

$23.85 NOK 220

-9.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$129 NOK 1,191

$141 NOK 1,302

-8.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.21 NOK 149

$16.30 NOK 150

-0.55%

Cappuccino

$5.89 NOK 54.3

$5.62 NOK 51.8

4.80%

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

$4.52 NOK 41.67

$5.19 NOK 47.85

-12.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 NOK 31.23

$4.57 NOK 42.13

-25.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.04 NOK 111

$12.92 NOK 119

-6.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.70 NOK 80.2

$10.71 NOK 98.7

-18.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 NOK 23.60

$2.35 NOK 21.62

8.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 NOK 28.60

$3.83 NOK 35.32

-19.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 NOK 19.32

$3.45 NOK 31.77

-39.13%

Eggs

$6.23 NOK 57.5

$6.67 NOK 61.5

-6.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 NOK 102

$14.89 NOK 137

-25.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.62 NOK 116

$17.88 NOK 165

-29.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.47 NOK 290

$37.65 NOK 347

-16.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 NOK 30.98

$4.10 NOK 37.80

-18.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 NOK 25.55

$2.80 NOK 25.82

-1.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 NOK 28.43

$3.70 NOK 34.11

-16.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.17 NOK 56.9

$5.54 NOK 51.1

11.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 NOK 23.08

$2.46 NOK 22.72

1.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 NOK 24.08

$3.41 NOK 31.42

-23.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 NOK 20.23

$3.08 NOK 28.37

-28.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 NOK 18.51

$1.83 NOK 16.88

9.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.50 NOK 180

$17.65 NOK 163

10.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.93 NOK 156

$19.73 NOK 182

-14.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 NOK 32.77

$3.83 NOK 35.28

-7.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 NOK 40.37

$4.44 NOK 40.91

-1.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.66 NOK 42.91

$5.32 NOK 49.07

-12.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.2 NOK 638

$89.0 NOK 820

-22.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.31 NOK 113

$12.82 NOK 118

-3.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 NOK 17.80

$1.95 NOK 18.00

-1.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.8 NOK 671

$74.9 NOK 690

-2.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.39 NOK 22.02

$2.41 NOK 22.18

-0.83%

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

$49.6K NOK 457.0K

$50.1K NOK 461.4K

-0.96%

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

$46.3K NOK 426.5K

$44.8K NOK 412.6K

3.38%

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

$230 NOK 2,120

$292 NOK 2,688

-21.11%

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

$34.38 NOK 317

$33.90 NOK 312

1.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 NOK 507

$85.1 NOK 784

-35.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 NOK 545

$48.43 NOK 446

22.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 NOK 272

$44.06 NOK 406

-33.14%

Cinema Ticket

$20.16 NOK 186

$19.28 NOK 178

4.56%

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

$217 NOK 1,997

$251 NOK 2,312

-13.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K NOK 148.0K

$12.0K NOK 110.4K

34.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 960

$108 NOK 992

-3.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 NOK 557

$56.1 NOK 517

7.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 NOK 1,254

$120 NOK 1,107

13.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 NOK 975

$166 NOK 1,529

-36.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,270 NOK 11.7K

$1,627 NOK 15.0K

-21.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$884 NOK 8,149

$1,283 NOK 11.8K

-31.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 14.7K

$2,668 NOK 24.6K

-40.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,517 NOK 14.0K

$1,928 NOK 17.8K

-21.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,359 NOK 40.2K

$8,228 NOK 75.8K

-47.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,609 NOK 33.3K

$5,382 NOK 49.6K

-32.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,415 NOK 40.7K

$4,732 NOK 43.6K

-6.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.94

5.27

-6.26%

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

Last update for Hamar: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bergen: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Hamar

$884 35.9%

Bergen

$1.3K 41.5% 45.2% $399

Groceries & Markets

Hamar

$463 18.8%

Bergen

$545 17.6% 17.6% $82

Eating Out

Hamar

$402 16.3%

Bergen

$432 14% 7.5% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hamar

$319 13%

Bergen

$411 13.3% 28.5% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Hamar

$183 7.4%

Bergen

$202 6.5% 10.6% $19

Getting Around

Hamar

$110 4.5%

Bergen

$133 4.3% 21% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Hamar

$99 4%

Bergen

$87 2.8% 12.5% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,270 in Hamar and $1,627 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: $129 in Hamar vs $141 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $463 vs $545 per month, with Hamar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇴 Hamar

🇳🇴 Bergen

🕒 Local time

09:10 9:10 AM

Same time as Hamar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

33,059

292,482

💱 Currency

Norwegian Krone NOK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 NOK = 10.85 USD

100 NOK = 9.72 EUR

100 NOK = 10.85 USD

100 NOK = 9.72 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Hamar Bergen 320 km

From you

Hamar
Bergen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 about 20% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Hamar. 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: $1,270 in Hamar versus $1,627 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $217 in Hamar versus $251 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,461 in Hamar versus $3,093 in Bergen, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Hamar but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Hamar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Hamar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.