Cost of Living Comparison Between Molde and Bergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Molde and Bergen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,442 in Molde versus $2,948 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,697 in Molde versus $4,449 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,952 in Molde versus $5,950 in Bergen.

Living in Molde costs roughly 17% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Molde 79% above, Bergen 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.59 NOK 288

$24.70 NOK 233

23.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 NOK 808

$139 NOK 1,310

-38.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.94 NOK 150

$15.86 NOK 149

0.50%

Cappuccino

$5.17 NOK 48.70

$5.68 NOK 53.5

-8.98%

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

$3.29 NOK 31.01

$5.31 NOK 49.99

-38.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 NOK 33.70

$4.53 NOK 42.68

-20.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.67 NOK 110

$12.85 NOK 121

-9.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.52 NOK 99.2

$10.60 NOK 99.9

-0.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.13 NOK 29.46

$2.33 NOK 21.94

34.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 NOK 39.85

$3.90 NOK 36.76

8.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.11 NOK 38.69

$3.57 NOK 33.67

15.13%

Eggs

$5.24 NOK 49.35

$6.62 NOK 62.4

-20.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.57 NOK 175

$15.02 NOK 141

23.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.04 NOK 151

$17.61 NOK 166

-8.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.64 NOK 336

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.76

$4.02 NOK 37.87

-13.43%

Banana (1kg)

$3.28 NOK 30.89

$2.83 NOK 26.64

15.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 NOK 28.97

$3.67 NOK 34.53

-16.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 NOK 46.41

$5.50 NOK 51.8

-10.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 24.80

$2.55 NOK 23.99

3.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 NOK 22.88

$3.30 NOK 31.09

-26.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 NOK 26.05

$2.94 NOK 27.69

-5.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 NOK 17.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.59 NOK 194

$18.18 NOK 171

13.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.72 NOK 223

$18.23 NOK 172

30.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 NOK 39.25

$3.52 NOK 33.19

18.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 NOK 77.1

$4.39 NOK 41.31

86.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.20 NOK 48.98

$5.12 NOK 48.19

1.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.8 NOK 798

$90.2 NOK 850

-6.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$16.35 NOK 154

$12.62 NOK 119

29.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 NOK 18.42

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$74.5 NOK 702

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 NOK 21.75

$2.37 NOK 22.33

-2.53%

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

$49.1K NOK 462.4K

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

$44.2K NOK 416.8K

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

$288 NOK 2,716

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

$21.65 NOK 204

$31.45 NOK 296

-31.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.4 NOK 795

$78.6 NOK 741

7.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.7 NOK 563

$45.85 NOK 432

30.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.68 NOK 411

Cinema Ticket

$18.95 NOK 178

$19.64 NOK 185

-3.51%

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

$214 NOK 2,013

$245 NOK 2,309

-12.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NOK 115.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 NOK 1,060

$107 NOK 1,007

5.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 NOK 511

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 NOK 1,305

$125 NOK 1,181

10.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 NOK 1,529

$170 NOK 1,601

-4.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 NOK 12.1K

$1,496 NOK 14.1K

-13.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$981 NOK 9,241

$1,104 NOK 10.4K

-11.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,899 NOK 17.9K

$2,481 NOK 23.4K

-23.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 NOK 15.8K

$1,780 NOK 16.8K

-5.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 NOK 73.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,967 NOK 46.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,356 NOK 41.0K

$4,712 NOK 44.4K

-7.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

5.31

-9.60%

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

Last update for Molde: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bergen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,288 in Molde and $1,496 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 8% 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: $86.0 in Molde vs $139 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $429 vs $534 per month, with Molde 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

Molde vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molde is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 8% 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: $1,288 in Molde versus $1,496 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $214 in Molde versus $245 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% 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. Molde is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Molde 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, Molde 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 Molde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.