Cost of Living Comparison Between Kristiansand and Bergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kristiansand and Bergen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,706 in Kristiansand versus $2,907 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,081 in Kristiansand versus $4,400 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,457 in Kristiansand versus $5,894 in Bergen.

Living in Kristiansand costs roughly 7% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kristiansand 97% above, Bergen 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.29 NOK 273

$25.49 NOK 238

14.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 NOK 788

$141 NOK 1,309

-39.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.30 NOK 152

$16.21 NOK 151

0.56%

Cappuccino

$4.70 NOK 43.75

$5.63 NOK 52.5

-16.52%

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

$3.28 NOK 30.53

$5.28 NOK 49.18

-37.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 NOK 22.63

$4.74 NOK 44.12

-48.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.92 NOK 120

$12.91 NOK 120

0.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 NOK 82.3

$10.52 NOK 98.0

-16.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 NOK 21.85

$2.48 NOK 23.08

-5.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 NOK 33.72

$3.83 NOK 35.70

-5.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 NOK 37.21

$3.58 NOK 33.31

11.45%

Eggs

$5.63 NOK 52.5

$6.70 NOK 62.5

-15.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 NOK 122

$15.27 NOK 142

-14.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.57 NOK 145

$17.52 NOK 163

-11.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.87 NOK 409

$35.05 NOK 327

25.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 NOK 41.90

$4.22 NOK 39.28

6.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 NOK 24.13

$2.71 NOK 25.26

-4.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 NOK 37.29

$3.72 NOK 34.67

7.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 NOK 46.12

$5.61 NOK 52.3

-11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 NOK 23.60

$2.56 NOK 23.82

-1.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 NOK 22.69

$3.48 NOK 32.38

-29.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 NOK 28.38

$3.03 NOK 28.22

0.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 NOK 20.07

$1.99 NOK 18.50

8.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.95 NOK 158

$17.89 NOK 167

-5.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.03 NOK 149

$18.74 NOK 175

-14.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.82 NOK 35.55

$3.62 NOK 33.70

5.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 NOK 36.33

$4.24 NOK 39.52

-8.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.78 NOK 35.20

$5.17 NOK 48.14

-26.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 NOK 675

$90.2 NOK 840

-19.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 NOK 75.9

$12.70 NOK 118

-35.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 NOK 15.58

$1.90 NOK 17.74

-12.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.6 NOK 546

$73.1 NOK 681

-19.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 NOK 21.70

$2.24 NOK 20.90

4.02%

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

$48.4K NOK 450.9K

$49.8K NOK 463.6K

-2.74%

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

$44.3K NOK 412.8K

$43.8K NOK 408.1K

1.16%

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

$223 NOK 2,082

$286 NOK 2,662

-21.79%

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

$31.99 NOK 298

$31.94 NOK 298

0.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.7 NOK 566

$78.6 NOK 732

-22.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.83 NOK 455

$44.64 NOK 416

9.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.35 NOK 348

$43.59 NOK 406

-14.32%

Cinema Ticket

$15.98 NOK 149

$19.25 NOK 179

-16.99%

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

$306 NOK 2,850

$241 NOK 2,242

27.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,720 NOK 25.3K

$11.9K NOK 111.3K

-77.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 NOK 1,089

$107 NOK 994

9.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 NOK 542

$54.3 NOK 506

7.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 NOK 1,127

$123 NOK 1,145

-1.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 NOK 1,514

$169 NOK 1,576

-3.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 NOK 11.1K

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

-21.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 NOK 9,452

$1,119 NOK 10.4K

-9.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 NOK 17.3K

$2,489 NOK 23.2K

-25.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 NOK 15.0K

$1,758 NOK 16.4K

-8.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,893 NOK 45.6K

$7,741 NOK 72.1K

-36.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,581 NOK 33.4K

$4,935 NOK 46.0K

-27.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 NOK 39.8K

$4,828 NOK 45.0K

-11.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

5.31

-5.65%

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

Last update for Kristiansand: August 29, 2026

Last update for Bergen: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,193 in Kristiansand and $1,514 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 13% 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: $85.0 in Kristiansand vs $141 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $535 vs $538 per month, with Kristiansand 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

Kristiansand vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 13% 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: $1,193 in Kristiansand versus $1,514 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Kristiansand versus $241 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% 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. Kristiansand is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Kristiansand 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, Kristiansand 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 Kristiansand 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.