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: $2,417 in Hamar versus $2,948 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,870 in Hamar versus $4,449 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,324 in Hamar versus $5,950 in Bergen.

Living in Hamar costs roughly 18% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamar 77% above, Bergen 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.27 NOK 200

$24.70 NOK 233

-13.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$130 NOK 1,221

$139 NOK 1,311

-6.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.05 NOK 151

$15.86 NOK 149

1.20%

Cappuccino

$6.13 NOK 57.7

$5.68 NOK 53.5

7.92%

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

$4.14 NOK 39.05

$5.31 NOK 50.0

-22.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.56

$4.53 NOK 42.69

-26.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.03 NOK 113

$12.85 NOK 121

-6.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.43 NOK 79.4

$10.60 NOK 99.9

-20.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 NOK 23.66

$2.33 NOK 21.95

7.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 NOK 28.54

$3.90 NOK 36.77

-22.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 NOK 20.04

$3.57 NOK 33.67

-40.34%

Eggs

$5.90 NOK 55.6

$6.62 NOK 62.4

-10.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 NOK 107

$15.02 NOK 142

-24.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.64 NOK 119

$17.61 NOK 166

-28.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.76 NOK 280

$35.64 NOK 336

-16.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 NOK 32.05

$4.02 NOK 37.88

-15.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 NOK 25.06

$2.83 NOK 26.64

-6.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 NOK 29.97

$3.67 NOK 34.54

-13.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 NOK 56.3

$5.50 NOK 51.8

8.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 23.69

$2.55 NOK 23.99

-1.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 NOK 23.94

$3.30 NOK 31.10

-23.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 NOK 20.03

$2.94 NOK 27.70

-27.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 NOK 19.06

$1.91 NOK 17.95

5.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.26 NOK 181

$18.18 NOK 171

5.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 NOK 159

$18.23 NOK 172

-7.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.61 NOK 34.01

$3.52 NOK 33.20

2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 NOK 41.22

$4.39 NOK 41.32

-0.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.68 NOK 44.10

$5.12 NOK 48.20

-8.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.9 NOK 658

$90.2 NOK 850

-22.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.00 NOK 113

$12.62 NOK 119

-4.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NOK 17.52

$1.96 NOK 18.43

-5.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$71.9 NOK 677

$74.5 NOK 702

-3.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 NOK 22.25

$2.37 NOK 22.33

-0.42%

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

$48.5K NOK 457.0K

$49.1K NOK 462.5K

-1.18%

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

$46.2K NOK 434.9K

$44.2K NOK 416.9K

4.31%

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

$227 NOK 2,137

$288 NOK 2,717

-21.35%

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

$32.60 NOK 307

$31.45 NOK 296

3.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 NOK 534

$78.6 NOK 741

-27.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 NOK 544

$45.85 NOK 432

25.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.57 NOK 288

$43.68 NOK 412

-30.01%

Cinema Ticket

$19.33 NOK 182

$19.64 NOK 185

-1.58%

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

$217 NOK 2,044

$245 NOK 2,309

-11.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K NOK 150.5K

$12.2K NOK 115.2K

30.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 NOK 950

$107 NOK 1,008

-5.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 NOK 572

$54.3 NOK 511

11.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 NOK 1,254

$125 NOK 1,181

6.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 NOK 991

$170 NOK 1,602

-38.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 NOK 11.6K

$1,496 NOK 14.1K

-17.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$882 NOK 8,309

$1,104 NOK 10.4K

-20.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,635 NOK 15.4K

$2,481 NOK 23.4K

-34.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,540 NOK 14.5K

$1,780 NOK 16.8K

-13.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,449 NOK 41.9K

$7,757 NOK 73.1K

-42.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,468 NOK 32.7K

$4,967 NOK 46.8K

-30.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,256 NOK 40.1K

$4,712 NOK 44.4K

-9.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.98

5.31

-6.21%

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

Last update for Hamar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bergen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,235 in Hamar and $1,496 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 11% 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: $130 in Hamar vs $139 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $455 vs $534 per month, with Hamar 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

Hamar vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 11% 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: $1,235 in Hamar versus $1,496 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $217 in Hamar versus $245 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,417 in Hamar versus $2,948 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.

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 22% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.