Cost of Living Comparison Between Lillehammer and Bergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lillehammer and Bergen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,960 in Lillehammer versus $2,605 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,971 in Lillehammer versus $3,923 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,983 in Lillehammer versus $5,240 in Bergen.

Living in Lillehammer costs roughly 25% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lillehammer 46% above, Bergen 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.34 NOK 152

$25.78 NOK 240

-36.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.2 NOK 745

$100 NOK 931

-19.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.21 NOK 132

$18.96 NOK 176

-25.05%

Cappuccino

$4.77 NOK 44.31

$5.36 NOK 49.82

-11.01%

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

$2.67 NOK 24.78

$3.21 NOK 29.86

-16.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 NOK 20.95

$3.03 NOK 28.14

-25.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.17 NOK 85.2

$11.53 NOK 107

-20.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.46 NOK 60.1

$9.67 NOK 89.8

-33.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 NOK 18.99

$2.64 NOK 24.50

-22.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 NOK 19.04

$3.36 NOK 31.20

-38.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 NOK 19.27

$2.90 NOK 26.92

-28.62%

Eggs

$3.06 NOK 28.44

$5.11 NOK 47.45

-40.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.94 NOK 111

$13.96 NOK 130

-14.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 NOK 92.9

$16.06 NOK 149

-37.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.85 NOK 259

$28.05 NOK 261

-0.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 33.20

$3.75 NOK 34.84

-4.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 NOK 19.16

$2.94 NOK 27.29

-29.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 NOK 24.94

$3.61 NOK 33.56

-25.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 NOK 22.84

$5.52 NOK 51.3

-55.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 NOK 14.46

$2.72 NOK 25.24

-42.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 NOK 18.45

$2.77 NOK 25.73

-28.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 NOK 12.58

$2.85 NOK 26.45

-52.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NOK 23.40

$2.15 NOK 19.95

17.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 NOK 129

$16.93 NOK 157

-17.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 NOK 150

$18.39 NOK 171

-12.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.58 NOK 33.29

$3.35 NOK 31.08

6.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 NOK 44.31

$4.27 NOK 39.68

11.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 NOK 23.36

$4.56 NOK 42.40

-44.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 NOK 495

$80.5 NOK 748

-33.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 NOK 53.7

$15.36 NOK 143

-62.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 NOK 9.73

$2.28 NOK 21.15

-53.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.99 NOK 464

$72.7 NOK 675

-31.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 19.72

$2.16 NOK 20.11

-1.85%

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

$31.3K NOK 290.3K

$35.0K NOK 325.2K

-10.72%

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

$35.0K NOK 325.6K

$43.6K NOK 404.7K

-19.56%

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

$319 NOK 2,963

$238 NOK 2,207

34.24%

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

$42.04 NOK 391

$38.16 NOK 355

10.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.65 NOK 331

$64.1 NOK 595

-44.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 NOK 475

$55.2 NOK 513

-7.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.67 NOK 331

$40.59 NOK 377

-12.12%

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 NOK 112

$19.99 NOK 186

-39.52%

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

$299 NOK 2,780

$281 NOK 2,610

6.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,457 NOK 78.6K

$12.9K NOK 120.1K

-34.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 NOK 860

$90.5 NOK 841

2.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.77 NOK 286

$55.0 NOK 510

-44.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 NOK 658

$111 NOK 1,034

-36.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 NOK 1,228

$147 NOK 1,369

-10.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 NOK 9,349

$1,275 NOK 11.8K

-21.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 NOK 5,532

$997 NOK 9,263

-40.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,847 NOK 17.2K

$2,004 NOK 18.6K

-7.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$924 NOK 8,585

$1,576 NOK 14.6K

-41.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,957 NOK 55.3K

$7,998 NOK 74.3K

-25.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,675 NOK 24.9K

$4,773 NOK 44.3K

-43.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,132 NOK 19.8K

$4,646 NOK 43.2K

-54.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

4.85

-10.93%

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

Last update for Lillehammer: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bergen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Lillehammer and $1,275 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 118% 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: $80.0 in Lillehammer vs $100 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 vs $490 per month, with Lillehammer 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

Lillehammer vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lillehammer is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bergen earns 118% less. 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: $1,006 in Lillehammer versus $1,275 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $299 in Lillehammer versus $281 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,960 in Lillehammer versus $2,605 in Bergen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lillehammer but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Lillehammer the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lillehammer 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, Lillehammer 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 Lillehammer gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.