Cost of Living Comparison Between Kongsberg and Bergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kongsberg and Bergen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,375 in Kongsberg versus $2,658 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,557 in Kongsberg versus $4,013 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,738 in Kongsberg versus $5,368 in Bergen.

Living in Kongsberg costs roughly 11% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kongsberg 78% above, Bergen 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.09 NOK 209

$25.18 NOK 239

-12.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.1 NOK 683

$102 NOK 970

-29.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.09 NOK 124

$19.35 NOK 183

-32.35%

Cappuccino

$4.82 NOK 45.67

$5.34 NOK 50.7

-9.74%

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

$2.50 NOK 23.72

$3.24 NOK 30.68

-22.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 NOK 20.41

$2.90 NOK 27.47

-25.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.30 NOK 88.2

$11.61 NOK 110

-19.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.13 NOK 96.1

$9.63 NOK 91.3

5.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 NOK 20.50

$2.71 NOK 25.70

-20.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 NOK 29.36

$3.44 NOK 32.64

-9.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 NOK 31.60

$2.79 NOK 26.44

19.35%

Eggs

$4.83 NOK 45.77

$5.03 NOK 47.68

-3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 NOK 97.6

$13.95 NOK 132

-26.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 NOK 111

$15.55 NOK 147

-24.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.20 NOK 173

$27.87 NOK 264

-34.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 NOK 28.87

$3.81 NOK 36.09

-20.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 NOK 22.25

$2.96 NOK 28.07

-20.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 NOK 31.67

$3.58 NOK 33.98

-6.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 NOK 39.04

$5.51 NOK 52.3

-25.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 NOK 20.92

$2.60 NOK 24.70

-15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 NOK 20.96

$2.75 NOK 26.09

-19.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 NOK 28.12

$2.77 NOK 26.26

7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 NOK 18.24

$2.11 NOK 20.02

-9.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.05 NOK 162

$16.74 NOK 159

1.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 NOK 147

$17.70 NOK 168

-12.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 NOK 31.50

$3.39 NOK 32.11

-2.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 NOK 36.49

$4.30 NOK 40.77

-10.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 NOK 23.37

$4.37 NOK 41.45

-43.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.3 NOK 838

$79.8 NOK 757

10.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 NOK 94.9

$15.20 NOK 144

-34.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 NOK 13.67

$2.20 NOK 20.87

-34.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.84 NOK 292

$72.6 NOK 689

-57.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 20.12

$2.21 NOK 20.98

-4.07%

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

$37.8K NOK 358.2K

$35.8K NOK 339.6K

5.49%

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

$41.0K NOK 389.0K

$43.7K NOK 414.2K

-6.08%

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

$220 NOK 2,085

$244 NOK 2,314

-9.89%

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

$27.19 NOK 258

$38.05 NOK 361

-28.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.66 NOK 367

$65.4 NOK 620

-40.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.59 NOK 423

$54.2 NOK 513

-17.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.5 NOK 516

$39.77 NOK 377

36.96%

Cinema Ticket

$19.86 NOK 188

$19.90 NOK 189

-0.20%

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

$304 NOK 2,886

$284 NOK 2,692

7.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,645 NOK 34.6K

$12.9K NOK 122.2K

-71.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 NOK 840

$92.5 NOK 877

-4.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 NOK 493

$55.7 NOK 528

-6.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$159 NOK 1,503

$113 NOK 1,067

40.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 NOK 1,554

$143 NOK 1,360

14.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$988 NOK 9,368

$1,304 NOK 12.4K

-24.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$896 NOK 8,501

$997 NOK 9,455

-10.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,769 NOK 16.8K

$2,032 NOK 19.3K

-12.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 NOK 14.7K

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

-2.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,933 NOK 56.3K

$7,558 NOK 71.7K

-21.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,082 NOK 38.7K

$4,679 NOK 44.4K

-12.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,556 NOK 33.7K

$4,385 NOK 41.6K

-18.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

4.85

-9.69%

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

Last update for Kongsberg: July 26, 2026

Last update for Bergen: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $988 in Kongsberg and $1,304 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 23% 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: $72.0 in Kongsberg vs $102 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $485 per month, with Kongsberg 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

Kongsberg vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kongsberg is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 23% 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: $988 in Kongsberg versus $1,304 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Kongsberg versus $284 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,375 in Kongsberg versus $2,658 in Bergen, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Kongsberg but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Kongsberg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kongsberg 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, Kongsberg 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 Kongsberg 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.