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: $2,470 in Harstad versus $2,626 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,732 in Harstad versus $3,929 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,993 in Harstad versus $5,232 in Bergen.

Living in Harstad costs roughly 6% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Harstad 85% above, Bergen 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 NOK 130

$25.09 NOK 240

-45.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,156

$100 NOK 961

20.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.25 NOK 146

$19.30 NOK 185

-20.98%

Cappuccino

$6.21 NOK 59.4

$5.38 NOK 51.5

15.43%

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

$3.62 NOK 34.61

$3.19 NOK 30.51

13.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 NOK 29.83

$2.98 NOK 28.56

4.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 NOK 105

$11.57 NOK 111

-5.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.23 NOK 108

$9.48 NOK 90.7

18.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 NOK 23.41

$2.75 NOK 26.37

-10.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 NOK 31.58

$3.43 NOK 32.80

-3.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 NOK 28.88

$2.87 NOK 27.43

5.23%

Eggs

$4.14 NOK 39.66

$5.06 NOK 48.43

-18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 NOK 100

$13.90 NOK 133

-24.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.42 NOK 148

$15.64 NOK 150

-1.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$37.05 NOK 355

$27.47 NOK 263

34.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 NOK 38.80

$3.95 NOK 37.81

2.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 NOK 25.51

$3.06 NOK 29.30

-13.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.77

$3.76 NOK 36.00

-6.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 NOK 44.48

$5.74 NOK 55.0

-18.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NOK 19.70

$2.62 NOK 25.03

-21.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NOK 18.93

$2.89 NOK 27.69

-31.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 NOK 25.57

$2.85 NOK 27.26

-6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NOK 16.85

$2.07 NOK 19.82

-14.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 NOK 143

$16.42 NOK 157

-9.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.83 NOK 152

$17.97 NOK 172

-11.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 NOK 33.29

$3.35 NOK 32.03

3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 NOK 44.96

$4.29 NOK 41.05

9.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.11 NOK 58.5

$4.47 NOK 42.74

36.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.3 NOK 759

$79.6 NOK 762

-0.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.53 NOK 120

$15.53 NOK 149

-19.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.42

$2.25 NOK 21.51

-37.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.8 NOK 486

$73.1 NOK 699

-30.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 NOK 20.50

$2.25 NOK 21.49

-4.89%

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

$33.3K NOK 319.0K

$36.1K NOK 345.5K

-7.65%

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

$30.4K NOK 291.0K

$43.1K NOK 412.7K

-29.49%

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

$162 NOK 1,552

$237 NOK 2,266

-31.52%

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

$32.24 NOK 309

$39.26 NOK 376

-17.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.7 NOK 734

$63.8 NOK 611

20.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.64 NOK 466

$54.1 NOK 518

-10.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.38 NOK 339

$40.70 NOK 390

-13.07%

Cinema Ticket

$16.78 NOK 161

$20.31 NOK 194

-17.38%

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

$334 NOK 3,194

$279 NOK 2,669

19.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,159 NOK 49.4K

$12.5K NOK 119.9K

-58.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 NOK 718

$92.7 NOK 887

-19.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.21 NOK 318

$55.4 NOK 530

-40.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 NOK 1,131

$115 NOK 1,099

2.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 NOK 1,303

$146 NOK 1,399

-6.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 NOK 12.4K

$1,275 NOK 12.2K

1.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 NOK 9,627

$993 NOK 9,503

1.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,189 NOK 20.9K

$2,042 NOK 19.5K

7.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,471 NOK 14.1K

$1,594 NOK 15.3K

-7.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,805 NOK 55.6K

$7,553 NOK 72.3K

-23.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,967 NOK 38.0K

$4,856 NOK 46.5K

-18.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,370 NOK 32.3K

$4,481 NOK 42.9K

-24.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.85

-11.96%

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

Last update for Harstad: July 20, 2026

Last update for Bergen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,298 in Harstad and $1,275 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 33% 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: $121 in Harstad vs $100 in Bergen. Groceries flip the comparison at $480 vs $489, with Harstad 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

Harstad vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Harstad is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 33% 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: $1,298 in Harstad versus $1,275 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $334 in Harstad versus $279 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% 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 6% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.