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: $2,300 in Kongsberg versus $2,688 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,510 in Kongsberg versus $3,981 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,721 in Kongsberg versus $5,273 in Bergen.

Living in Kongsberg costs roughly 14% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kongsberg 72% above, Bergen 101% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kongsberg
Bergen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.91 NOK 204
$25.64 NOK 239
-14.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.9 NOK 661
$102 NOK 948
-30.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.25 NOK 123
$18.93 NOK 176
-30.01%
Cappuccino
$4.99 NOK 46.54
$5.60 NOK 52.2
-10.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 NOK 22.85
$3.11 NOK 28.95
-21.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 NOK 20.88
$2.90 NOK 27.05
-22.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.06 NOK 84.5
$11.69 NOK 109
-22.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.00 NOK 93.2
$9.43 NOK 87.9
6.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kongsberg
Bergen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.09 NOK 19.46
$2.75 NOK 25.64
-24.00%
White Bread (500g)
$3.05 NOK 28.40
$3.30 NOK 30.73
-7.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.30 NOK 30.74
$2.81 NOK 26.16
17.44%
Eggs
$4.69 NOK 43.72
$4.86 NOK 45.27
-3.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.45 NOK 97.4
$14.19 NOK 132
-26.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.04 NOK 112
$15.59 NOK 145
-22.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.33 NOK 171
$28.20 NOK 263
-35.00%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 NOK 29.49
$3.87 NOK 36.11
-18.35%
Banana (1kg)
$2.28 NOK 21.24
$3.06 NOK 28.54
-25.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.26 NOK 30.39
$3.61 NOK 33.64
-9.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.22 NOK 39.31
$5.57 NOK 51.9
-24.24%
Potato (1kg)
$2.21 NOK 20.61
$2.70 NOK 25.18
-18.15%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 NOK 20.00
$2.86 NOK 26.65
-24.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.88 NOK 26.83
$2.78 NOK 25.89
3.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 NOK 17.67
$2.12 NOK 19.77
-10.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.13 NOK 160
$16.39 NOK 153
4.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.32 NOK 152
$18.35 NOK 171
-11.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.17 NOK 29.53
$3.27 NOK 30.52
-3.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.89 NOK 36.24
$4.39 NOK 40.95
-11.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Kongsberg
Bergen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.54 NOK 23.70
$4.43 NOK 41.24
-42.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.4 NOK 833
$81.3 NOK 758
9.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$10.03 NOK 93.5
$15.40 NOK 144
-34.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 NOK 12.85
$2.29 NOK 21.30
-39.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.84 NOK 278
$73.1 NOK 681
-59.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 NOK 19.74
$2.15 NOK 20.02
-1.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.4K NOK 357.8K
$35.0K NOK 326.4K
9.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.0K NOK 372.4K
$42.3K NOK 394.4K
-5.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kongsberg
Bergen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$215 NOK 2,006
$245 NOK 2,284
-12.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.74 NOK 259
$38.87 NOK 362
-28.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.36 NOK 348
$64.9 NOK 605
-42.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kongsberg
Bergen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.95 NOK 410
$55.3 NOK 515
-20.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$53.6 NOK 500
$39.54 NOK 369
35.63%
Cinema Ticket
$19.86 NOK 185
$20.55 NOK 192
-3.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kongsberg
Bergen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$302 NOK 2,815
$279 NOK 2,597
8.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,684 NOK 34.3K
$13.0K NOK 120.8K
-71.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kongsberg
Bergen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.4 NOK 824
$89.8 NOK 837
-1.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.7 NOK 482
$55.2 NOK 515
-6.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$159 NOK 1,482
$114 NOK 1,061
39.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$163 NOK 1,515
$144 NOK 1,340
13.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kongsberg
Bergen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,000 NOK 9,319
$1,287 NOK 12.0K
-22.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$882 NOK 8,224
$967 NOK 9,014
-8.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,721 NOK 16.0K
$1,994 NOK 18.6K
-13.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,562 NOK 14.6K
$1,573 NOK 14.7K
-0.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,290 NOK 58.6K
$7,978 NOK 74.4K
-21.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,376 NOK 40.8K
$5,002 NOK 46.6K
-12.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kongsberg
Bergen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,682 NOK 34.3K
$4,447 NOK 41.4K
-17.22%
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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Bergen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Kongsberg and $1,287 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 21% 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: $71.0 in Kongsberg vs $102 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $489 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
Is Bergen cheaper than Kongsberg?
Kongsberg is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Kongsberg or Bergen?
On paper, Bergen earns 21% less. 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 Kongsberg and Bergen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Kongsberg versus $1,287 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $302 in Kongsberg versus $279 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 Kongsberg and Bergen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for Kongsberg or Bergen?
At $2,300 in Kongsberg versus $2,688 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.
Is Kongsberg or Bergen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Kongsberg or Bergen?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Kongsberg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Kongsberg vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities