Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandal and Bergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandal and Bergen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,864 in Mandal versus $2,907 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,253 in Mandal versus $4,400 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,642 in Mandal versus $5,894 in Bergen.

Living in Mandal costs roughly 1% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mandal 108% above, Bergen 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.02 NOK 242

$25.49 NOK 237

2.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.5 NOK 906

$141 NOK 1,305

-30.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.79 NOK 147

$16.21 NOK 150

-2.59%

Cappuccino

$6.58 NOK 61.1

$5.63 NOK 52.3

16.87%

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

$5.54 NOK 51.4

$5.28 NOK 49.00

4.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 NOK 40.94

$4.74 NOK 43.97

-6.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.96 NOK 130

$12.91 NOK 120

8.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.33 NOK 114

$10.52 NOK 97.7

17.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 21.23

$2.48 NOK 23.00

-7.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 NOK 34.75

$3.83 NOK 35.57

-2.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 NOK 36.42

$3.58 NOK 33.20

9.50%

Eggs

$3.30 NOK 30.66

$6.70 NOK 62.2

-50.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.06 NOK 131

$15.27 NOK 142

-7.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.95 NOK 157

$17.52 NOK 163

-3.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.88 NOK 333

$35.05 NOK 325

2.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 NOK 34.57

$4.22 NOK 39.14

-11.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 NOK 26.99

$2.71 NOK 25.17

7.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 33.19

$3.72 NOK 34.55

-4.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 NOK 46.08

$5.61 NOK 52.1

-11.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 23.66

$2.56 NOK 23.73

-0.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 NOK 29.80

$3.48 NOK 32.27

-7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 NOK 14.67

$3.03 NOK 28.12

-47.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 NOK 21.38

$1.99 NOK 18.44

15.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.16 NOK 169

$17.89 NOK 166

1.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 NOK 172

$18.74 NOK 174

-0.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 NOK 28.92

$3.62 NOK 33.58

-14.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 NOK 28.87

$4.24 NOK 39.39

-26.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.91 NOK 45.60

$5.17 NOK 47.97

-5.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.7 NOK 749

$90.2 NOK 837

-10.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 NOK 54.9

$12.70 NOK 118

-53.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 NOK 11.69

$1.90 NOK 17.68

-33.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$105 NOK 979

$73.1 NOK 679

44.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 NOK 20.44

$2.24 NOK 20.82

-1.79%

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

$49.4K NOK 459.0K

$49.8K NOK 462.0K

-0.65%

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

$42.4K NOK 393.6K

$43.8K NOK 406.7K

-3.21%

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

$247 NOK 2,292

$286 NOK 2,653

-13.59%

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

$34.96 NOK 325

$31.94 NOK 297

9.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.7 NOK 768

$78.6 NOK 729

5.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 NOK 471

$44.64 NOK 414

13.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.96 NOK 325

$43.59 NOK 405

-19.80%

Cinema Ticket

$21.98 NOK 204

$19.25 NOK 179

14.18%

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

$329 NOK 3,055

$241 NOK 2,234

36.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NOK 134.3K

$11.9K NOK 110.9K

21.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$130 NOK 1,212

$107 NOK 991

22.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 NOK 563

$54.3 NOK 504

11.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 NOK 1,443

$123 NOK 1,141

26.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 NOK 1,877

$169 NOK 1,571

19.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 NOK 11.9K

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

-15.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 NOK 10.4K

$1,119 NOK 10.4K

0.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,207 NOK 20.5K

$2,489 NOK 23.1K

-11.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,744 NOK 16.2K

$1,758 NOK 16.3K

-0.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,510 NOK 60.4K

$7,741 NOK 71.9K

-15.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,359 NOK 40.5K

$4,935 NOK 45.8K

-11.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,421 NOK 41.0K

$4,828 NOK 44.8K

-8.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

5.31

-0.75%

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

Last update for Mandal: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bergen: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Mandal and $1,514 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 9% 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: $98.0 in Mandal vs $141 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $506 vs $538 per month, with Mandal 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

Mandal vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% 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: $1,284 in Mandal versus $1,514 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $329 in Mandal 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 6% 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. Mandal is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Mandal 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, Mandal 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 Mandal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.