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: $1,512 in Lillehammer versus $2,942 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,439 in Lillehammer versus $4,473 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,367 in Lillehammer versus $6,004 in Bergen.

Living in Lillehammer costs roughly 49% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lillehammer 10% above, Bergen 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.00 NOK 158

$24.62 NOK 228

-30.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.2 NOK 808

$140 NOK 1,294

-37.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.36 NOK 133

$16.47 NOK 153

-12.81%

Cappuccino

$5.01 NOK 46.49

$5.92 NOK 54.9

-15.37%

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

$3.66 NOK 33.94

$5.17 NOK 47.99

-29.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 NOK 23.08

$4.63 NOK 42.95

-46.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.59 NOK 98.3

$12.94 NOK 120

-18.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.58 NOK 70.3

$10.70 NOK 99.2

-29.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.66 NOK 24.67

$2.48 NOK 22.98

7.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 NOK 31.76

$3.82 NOK 35.41

-10.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.71 NOK 34.36

$3.47 NOK 32.19

6.92%

Eggs

$5.11 NOK 47.39

$6.75 NOK 62.6

-24.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.41 NOK 124

$15.20 NOK 141

-11.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.56 NOK 154

$17.60 NOK 163

-5.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$32.93 NOK 305

$35.27 NOK 327

-6.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 NOK 36.26

$4.13 NOK 38.34

-5.33%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 NOK 27.92

$2.86 NOK 26.51

5.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 NOK 35.87

$3.60 NOK 33.42

7.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.84 NOK 54.1

$5.80 NOK 53.8

0.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.95 NOK 27.36

$2.52 NOK 23.33

17.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 NOK 28.62

$3.34 NOK 31.00

-7.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 NOK 27.02

$2.93 NOK 27.18

-0.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 NOK 21.16

$2.06 NOK 19.06

10.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.07 NOK 168

$18.04 NOK 167

0.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.68 NOK 173

$18.63 NOK 173

0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.75 NOK 34.79

$3.56 NOK 33.05

5.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 NOK 44.67

$4.27 NOK 39.63

12.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 NOK 21.39

$5.21 NOK 48.35

-55.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.0 NOK 826

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.64 NOK 89.4

$12.91 NOK 120

-25.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 NOK 15.35

$1.90 NOK 17.65

-12.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.0 NOK 566

$75.3 NOK 698

-18.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.35 NOK 21.78

$2.36 NOK 21.93

-0.42%

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

$46.9K NOK 435.0K

$49.9K NOK 462.8K

-6.02%

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

$45.8K NOK 424.4K

$44.8K NOK 415.8K

2.08%

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

$275 NOK 2,551

$296 NOK 2,747

-7.12%

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

$37.37 NOK 347

$31.98 NOK 297

16.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.7 NOK 767

$78.9 NOK 732

4.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.57 NOK 423

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.44 NOK 412

Cinema Ticket

$20.66 NOK 192

$19.31 NOK 179

6.99%

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

$303 NOK 2,806

$250 NOK 2,322

20.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,573 NOK 42.4K

$12.3K NOK 114.0K

-62.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 NOK 1,013

0.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NOK 492

$55.7 NOK 516

-4.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 NOK 1,137

$122 NOK 1,128

0.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 NOK 1,470

$171 NOK 1,587

-7.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 NOK 10.1K

$1,542 NOK 14.3K

-29.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 NOK 10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 NOK 23.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 NOK 16.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,351 NOK 31.1K

$7,803 NOK 72.4K

-57.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,384 NOK 12.8K

$4,910 NOK 45.5K

-71.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,098 NOK 19.5K

$4,848 NOK 45.0K

-56.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.31

0.19%

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

Last update for Lillehammer: September 8, 2026

Last update for Bergen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,087 in Lillehammer and $1,542 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 131% 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: $87.0 in Lillehammer vs $140 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $520 vs $539 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 131% 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: $1,087 in Lillehammer versus $1,542 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $303 in Lillehammer versus $250 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Lillehammer – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $140 in Bergen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,512 in Lillehammer versus $2,942 in Bergen, a $1,000 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 95% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.