Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karmøy and Bergen

For one person, living is cheaper in Karmøy: $2,641 a month against $3,093 in Bergen, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Karmøy, Norway
Bergen, Norway
Karmøy
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,641
/mo nomad
Bergen
🇳🇴 Norway
$3,093
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karmøy 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 Karmøy and in Bergen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,641 in Karmøy versus $3,093 in Bergen.

  • Karmøy $2,641
  • Bergen $3,093

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,032 in Karmøy versus $4,619 in Bergen.

  • Karmøy $4,032
  • Bergen $4,619

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,423 in Karmøy versus $6,145 in Bergen.

  • Karmøy $5,423
  • Bergen $6,145

Living in Karmøy costs roughly 15% less than in Bergen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Karmøy 94% above, Bergen 127% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Karmøy
Bergen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.23 NOK 197
$23.85 NOK 222
-10.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$122 NOK 1,135
$141 NOK 1,313
-13.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.23 NOK 151
$16.30 NOK 151
-0.43%
Cappuccino
$6.16 NOK 57.3
$5.62 NOK 52.2
9.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 NOK 35.34
$5.19 NOK 48.23
-26.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 NOK 27.02
$4.57 NOK 42.47
-36.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.67 NOK 108
$12.92 NOK 120
-9.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$11.22 NOK 104
$10.71 NOK 99.5
4.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Karmøy
Bergen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.32 NOK 21.55
$2.35 NOK 21.79
-1.28%
White Bread (500g)
$3.87 NOK 35.94
$3.83 NOK 35.60
1.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.37 NOK 31.29
$3.45 NOK 32.02
-2.32%
Eggs
$4.39 NOK 40.75
$6.67 NOK 62.0
-34.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.31 NOK 114
$14.89 NOK 138
-17.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.45 NOK 144
$17.88 NOK 166
-13.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$29.85 NOK 277
$37.65 NOK 350
-20.72%
Apples (1kg)
$3.29 NOK 30.53
$4.10 NOK 38.11
-19.76%
Banana (1kg)
$2.37 NOK 22.03
$2.80 NOK 26.03
-15.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.05 NOK 28.29
$3.70 NOK 34.38
-17.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.55 NOK 42.32
$5.54 NOK 51.5
-17.87%
Potato (1kg)
$2.51 NOK 23.35
$2.46 NOK 22.90
2.03%
Onion (1kg)
$3.00 NOK 27.91
$3.41 NOK 31.67
-12.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.44 NOK 31.92
$3.08 NOK 28.60
11.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.49 NOK 23.13
$1.83 NOK 17.02
36.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.07 NOK 186
$17.65 NOK 164
13.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.00 NOK 158
$19.73 NOK 183
-13.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.89 NOK 36.11
$3.83 NOK 35.56
1.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.95 NOK 45.99
$4.44 NOK 41.24
11.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Karmøy
Bergen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.66 NOK 43.32
$5.32 NOK 49.47
-12.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$84.3 NOK 783
$89.0 NOK 827
-5.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$13.42 NOK 125
$12.82 NOK 119
4.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.84 NOK 17.09
$1.95 NOK 18.14
-5.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$63.7 NOK 592
$74.9 NOK 696
-14.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.52 NOK 23.41
$2.41 NOK 22.36
4.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.9K NOK 472.5K
$50.1K NOK 465.1K
1.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.1K NOK 381.6K
$44.8K NOK 415.9K
-8.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karmøy
Bergen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$243 NOK 2,259
$292 NOK 2,709
-16.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.54 NOK 284
$33.90 NOK 315
-9.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.76 NOK 434
$85.1 NOK 790
-45.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Karmøy
Bergen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.24 NOK 457
$48.43 NOK 450
1.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$41.02 NOK 381
$44.06 NOK 409
-6.90%
Cinema Ticket
$16.70 NOK 155
$19.28 NOK 179
-13.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Karmøy
Bergen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$259 NOK 2,405
$251 NOK 2,331
3.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.2K NOK 113.3K
$12.0K NOK 111.2K
1.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Karmøy
Bergen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.0 NOK 892
$108 NOK 1,000
-10.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.63 NOK 461
$56.1 NOK 521
-11.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 NOK 1,031
$120 NOK 1,116
-7.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$154 NOK 1,429
$166 NOK 1,541
-7.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Karmøy
Bergen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,262 NOK 11.7K
$1,627 NOK 15.1K
-22.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,044 NOK 9,703
$1,283 NOK 11.9K
-18.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,068 NOK 19.2K
$2,668 NOK 24.8K
-22.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,688 NOK 15.7K
$1,928 NOK 17.9K
-12.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,242 NOK 58.0K
$8,228 NOK 76.4K
-24.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,136 NOK 38.4K
$5,382 NOK 50.0K
-23.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Karmøy
Bergen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,114 NOK 38.2K
$4,732 NOK 44.0K
-13.05%
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 Karmøy: October 27, 2026

Last update for Bergen: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Karmøy
$1K
Bergen
$1.3K 22.9% $239
Groceries & Markets
Karmøy
$483
Bergen
$545 12.9% $62
Eating Out
Karmøy
$400
Bergen
$432 8% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karmøy
$321
Bergen
$411 28.1% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Karmøy
$185
Bergen
$202 9.6% $18
Getting Around
Karmøy
$126
Bergen
$133 5.8% $7.3
Sport & Entertainment
Karmøy
$83
Bergen
$87 5.3% $4.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,262 in Karmøy and $1,627 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 15% 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 Karmøy vs $141 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $483 vs $545 per month, with Karmøy cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Karmøy
🇳🇴 Bergen
🕒 Local time
16:46 4:46 PM
16:46 4:46 PM
Same time as Karmøy
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
43,404
292,482
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.29 NOK (1 NOK = 0.108 USD). 1 EUR = 10.34 NOK (100 NOK = 9.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Karmøy Bergen 130 km
From you
  • Karmøy
  • 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
Karmøy vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Karmøy cheaper than Bergen?
Karmøy is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, utilities, and eating out. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Karmøy or Bergen?
On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Karmøy. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Karmøy and Bergen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,262 in Karmøy versus $1,627 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $259 in Karmøy versus $251 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Karmøy and in Bergen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Karmøy or in Bergen?
At $2,641 in Karmøy versus $3,093 in Bergen, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Karmøy but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Karmøy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Karmøy or in Bergen?
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.
Which city is safer, Karmøy or Bergen?
Safety-wise, Karmøy 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Karmøy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Karmøy vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?