Cost of Living Comparison Between Karmøy and Bergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Karmøy and Bergen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,742 in Karmøy versus $2,942 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,097 in Karmøy versus $4,473 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,453 in Karmøy versus $6,004 in Bergen.

Living in Karmøy costs roughly 7% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Karmøy 99% above, Bergen 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.51 NOK 200

$24.62 NOK 228

-12.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 NOK 979

$140 NOK 1,294

-24.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.74 NOK 146

$16.47 NOK 153

-4.43%

Cappuccino

$5.61 NOK 52.1

$5.92 NOK 54.9

-5.24%

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

$4.25 NOK 39.41

$5.17 NOK 48.00

-17.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 NOK 28.91

$4.63 NOK 42.96

-32.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.61 NOK 108

$12.94 NOK 120

-10.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.87 NOK 101

$10.70 NOK 99.3

1.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 NOK 24.15

$2.48 NOK 22.99

4.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 NOK 33.21

$3.82 NOK 35.42

-6.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 NOK 35.58

$3.47 NOK 32.20

10.66%

Eggs

$5.10 NOK 47.35

$6.75 NOK 62.6

-24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.47 NOK 125

$15.20 NOK 141

-11.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.21 NOK 141

$17.60 NOK 163

-13.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.51 NOK 283

$35.27 NOK 327

-13.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.33

$4.13 NOK 38.35

-15.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 NOK 24.64

$2.86 NOK 26.52

-6.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 NOK 32.06

$3.60 NOK 33.43

-3.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.23 NOK 48.53

$5.80 NOK 53.8

-9.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 NOK 24.65

$2.52 NOK 23.33

5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 NOK 27.57

$3.34 NOK 31.01

-11.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 NOK 28.82

$2.93 NOK 27.19

6.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 NOK 22.64

$2.06 NOK 19.07

18.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.92 NOK 166

$18.04 NOK 167

-0.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 NOK 154

$18.63 NOK 173

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 33.61

$3.56 NOK 33.06

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 NOK 39.86

$4.27 NOK 39.64

0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.79 NOK 44.39

$5.21 NOK 48.37

-8.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 NOK 785

$89.0 NOK 826

-4.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.39 NOK 115

$12.91 NOK 120

-4.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NOK 17.77

$1.90 NOK 17.66

1.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$71.1 NOK 660

$75.3 NOK 698

-5.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 NOK 21.31

$2.36 NOK 21.94

-2.54%

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

$48.8K NOK 453.1K

$49.9K NOK 463.0K

-2.14%

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

$44.5K NOK 412.5K

$44.8K NOK 415.9K

-0.82%

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

$275 NOK 2,553

$296 NOK 2,747

-7.08%

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

$33.22 NOK 308

$31.98 NOK 297

3.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 NOK 529

$78.9 NOK 732

-27.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 NOK 468

$45.57 NOK 423

10.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.15 NOK 345

$44.44 NOK 412

-16.40%

Cinema Ticket

$17.99 NOK 167

$19.31 NOK 179

-6.84%

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

$245 NOK 2,270

$250 NOK 2,323

-2.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K NOK 112.5K

$12.3K NOK 114.1K

-1.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 NOK 944

$109 NOK 1,013

-6.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 NOK 530

$55.7 NOK 516

2.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 NOK 1,173

$122 NOK 1,128

3.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 NOK 1,484

$171 NOK 1,588

-6.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 NOK 11.3K

$1,542 NOK 14.3K

-20.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 NOK 9,752

$1,118 NOK 10.4K

-5.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 NOK 18.8K

$2,485 NOK 23.1K

-18.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 NOK 15.6K

$1,767 NOK 16.4K

-4.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,326 NOK 58.7K

$7,803 NOK 72.4K

-18.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,315 NOK 40.0K

$4,910 NOK 45.5K

-12.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,071 NOK 37.8K

$4,848 NOK 45.0K

-16.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

5.31

-6.59%

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

Last update for Karmøy: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bergen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,223 in Karmøy and $1,542 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 19% 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: $105 in Karmøy vs $140 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $494 vs $539 per month, with Karmøy 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

Karmøy vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karmøy is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 19% 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: $1,223 in Karmøy versus $1,542 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $245 in Karmøy versus $250 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Karmøy is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Karmøy 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, 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.

Expats usually find Karmøy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.