Cost of Living Comparison Between Harstad and Bergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Harstad and Bergen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,626 in Harstad versus $2,948 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,908 in Harstad versus $4,449 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,189 in Harstad versus $5,950 in Bergen.

Living in Harstad costs roughly 11% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Harstad 92% above, Bergen 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.17 NOK 134

$24.70 NOK 233

-42.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 NOK 1,027

$139 NOK 1,311

-21.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.17 NOK 152

$15.86 NOK 149

1.95%

Cappuccino

$6.56 NOK 61.9

$5.68 NOK 53.5

15.49%

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

$3.84 NOK 36.18

$5.31 NOK 50.0

-27.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NOK 29.98

$4.53 NOK 42.69

-29.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.72 NOK 120

$12.85 NOK 121

-1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.91 NOK 131

$10.60 NOK 99.9

31.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 NOK 24.32

$2.33 NOK 21.95

10.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 NOK 32.77

$3.90 NOK 36.77

-10.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 31.06

$3.57 NOK 33.67

-7.56%

Eggs

$4.58 NOK 43.18

$6.62 NOK 62.4

-30.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 NOK 105

$15.02 NOK 142

-25.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.09 NOK 142

$17.61 NOK 166

-14.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.47 NOK 400

$35.64 NOK 336

19.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 NOK 39.94

$4.02 NOK 37.88

5.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 NOK 27.73

$2.83 NOK 26.64

3.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 NOK 35.95

$3.67 NOK 34.54

4.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 NOK 45.12

$5.50 NOK 51.8

-12.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 NOK 20.37

$2.55 NOK 23.99

-15.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NOK 20.48

$3.30 NOK 31.10

-34.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 NOK 28.50

$2.94 NOK 27.70

2.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NOK 22.71

$1.91 NOK 17.95

26.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.82 NOK 158

$18.18 NOK 171

-7.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 NOK 149

$18.23 NOK 172

-13.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 NOK 38.03

$3.52 NOK 33.20

14.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 NOK 46.97

$4.39 NOK 41.32

13.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.22 NOK 58.6

$5.12 NOK 48.20

21.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.4 NOK 796

$90.2 NOK 850

-6.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$16.02 NOK 151

$12.62 NOK 119

26.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NOK 17.32

$1.96 NOK 18.43

-6.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.9 NOK 536

$74.5 NOK 702

-23.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 21.20

$2.37 NOK 22.33

-5.06%

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

$37.6K NOK 354.3K

$49.1K NOK 462.5K

-23.40%

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

$32.0K NOK 301.4K

$44.2K NOK 416.9K

-27.70%

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

$168 NOK 1,582

$288 NOK 2,717

-41.78%

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

$34.80 NOK 328

$31.45 NOK 296

10.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.9 NOK 771

$78.6 NOK 741

4.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 NOK 482

$45.85 NOK 432

11.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.78 NOK 356

$43.68 NOK 412

-13.51%

Cinema Ticket

$17.55 NOK 165

$19.64 NOK 185

-10.64%

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

$246 NOK 2,319

$245 NOK 2,309

0.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,377 NOK 50.7K

$12.2K NOK 115.2K

-56.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 NOK 647

$107 NOK 1,008

-35.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.02 NOK 339

$54.3 NOK 511

-33.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,170

$125 NOK 1,181

-0.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,580

$170 NOK 1,602

-1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 NOK 13.1K

$1,496 NOK 14.1K

-7.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 NOK 10.3K

$1,104 NOK 10.4K

-1.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,321 NOK 21.9K

$2,481 NOK 23.4K

-6.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 NOK 14.4K

$1,780 NOK 16.8K

-14.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,192 NOK 58.3K

$7,757 NOK 73.1K

-20.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,126 NOK 38.9K

$4,967 NOK 46.8K

-16.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,607 NOK 34.0K

$4,712 NOK 44.4K

-23.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

-5.84%

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

Last update for Harstad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bergen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,387 in Harstad and $1,496 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 31% 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: $109 in Harstad vs $139 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $520 vs $534 per month, with Harstad 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

Harstad vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 31% 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: $1,387 in Harstad versus $1,496 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $246 in Harstad 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 3% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Harstad is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Harstad 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, Harstad 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 Harstad 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.