Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ridgecrest, CA and Bergen

For one person, living is cheaper in Ridgecrest, CA: $2,432 a month against $2,927 in Bergen, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ridgecrest, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,432
/mo nomad
Bergen
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,927
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ridgecrest, CA and in Bergen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ridgecrest, CA and in Bergen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,432 in Ridgecrest, CA versus $2,927 in Bergen.

  • Ridgecrest, CA $2,432
  • Bergen $2,927

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,820 in Ridgecrest, CA versus $4,393 in Bergen.

  • Ridgecrest, CA $3,820
  • Bergen $4,393

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,208 in Ridgecrest, CA versus $5,858 in Bergen.

  • Ridgecrest, CA $5,208
  • Bergen $5,858

Living in Ridgecrest, CA costs roughly 17% less than in Bergen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ridgecrest, CA 79% above, Bergen 116% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ridgecrest, CA
Bergen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.06 $22.06
$23.86 NOK 225
-7.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.3 $88.3
$137 NOK 1,286
-35.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.22 $15.22
$16.17 NOK 152
-5.88%
Cappuccino
$6.05 $6.05
$5.48 NOK 51.6
10.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 $2.95
$5.34 NOK 50.3
-44.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$4.70 NOK 44.25
-57.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.81 $7.81
$12.76 NOK 120
-38.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.97 $10.97
$10.67 NOK 100
2.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ridgecrest, CA
Bergen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$2.30 NOK 21.68
-54.78%
White Bread (500g)
$4.70 $4.70
$3.86 NOK 36.32
21.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.22 $7.22
$3.57 NOK 33.60
102.24%
Eggs
$5.15 $5.15
$6.30 NOK 59.3
-18.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.46 $19.46
$14.65 NOK 138
32.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.52 $14.52
$17.78 NOK 167
-18.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.78 $21.78
$37.46 NOK 353
-41.86%
Apples (1kg)
$8.21 $8.21
$4.07 NOK 38.32
101.72%
Banana (1kg)
$3.29 $3.29
$2.79 NOK 26.28
17.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.13 $6.13
$3.63 NOK 34.16
68.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$10.15 $10.15
$5.41 NOK 50.9
87.62%
Potato (1kg)
$8.44 $8.44
$2.49 NOK 23.43
238.96%
Onion (1kg)
$4.90 $4.90
$3.42 NOK 32.21
43.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.44 $3.44
$2.95 NOK 27.75
16.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.67 $2.67
$1.79 NOK 16.83
49.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.80 $11.80
$17.71 NOK 167
-33.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.09 $16.09
$19.45 NOK 183
-17.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$3.68 NOK 34.63
-39.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.63 $4.63
$4.27 NOK 40.22
8.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Ridgecrest, CA
Bergen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$5.30 NOK 49.93
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$87.5 NOK 824
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.92 $2.92
$12.39 NOK 117
-76.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.54 $2.54
$1.87 NOK 17.62
35.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$59.5 $59.5
$72.1 NOK 679
-17.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 $1.53
$2.39 NOK 22.51
-35.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K $27.5K
$49.4K NOK 465.3K
-44.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$44.8K NOK 422.1K
-40.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ridgecrest, CA
Bergen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$249 $249
$287 NOK 2,698
-13.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$74.8 $74.8
$34.59 NOK 326
116.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.42 $49.42
$82.8 NOK 779
-40.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ridgecrest, CA
Bergen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.88 $31.88
$45.58 NOK 429
-30.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$43.31 NOK 408
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.37 $9.37
$19.31 NOK 182
-51.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ridgecrest, CA
Bergen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$981 $981
$241 NOK 2,264
307.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$37.2K $37.2K
$12.1K NOK 113.5K
208.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ridgecrest, CA
Bergen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.7 $85.7
$110 NOK 1,033
-21.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.19 $45.19
$54.2 NOK 510
-16.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.4 $79.4
$118 NOK 1,107
-32.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 $132
$170 NOK 1,601
-22.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ridgecrest, CA
Bergen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$888 $888
$1,495 NOK 14.1K
-40.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$891 $891
$1,137 NOK 10.7K
-21.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,903 $1,903
$2,323 NOK 21.9K
-18.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,764 $1,764
$1,698 NOK 16.0K
3.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$13.3K $13.3K
$7,803 NOK 73.5K
70.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$4,919 NOK 46.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ridgecrest, CA
Bergen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,384 $5,384
$4,675 NOK 44.0K
15.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.75
5.27
28.08%

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

Last update for Ridgecrest, CA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Bergen: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ridgecrest, CA
$891
Bergen
$1.1K 27.6% $246
Groceries & Markets
Ridgecrest, CA
$573
Bergen
$538 6% $34
Eating Out
Ridgecrest, CA
$375
Bergen
$430 14.6% $55
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ridgecrest, CA
$373
Bergen
$404 8.3% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Ridgecrest, CA
$154
Bergen
$203 32% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Ridgecrest, CA
$51
Bergen
$84 66.4% $34
Getting Around
Ridgecrest, CA
$16 *
Bergen
$130 734% $115

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $888 in Ridgecrest, CA and $1,495 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ridgecrest, CA pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $88.0 in Ridgecrest, CA vs $137 in Bergen. Groceries flip the comparison at $573 vs $538, with Bergen cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Ridgecrest, CA
🇳🇴 Bergen
🕒 Local time
00:13 12:13 AM
09:13 9:13 AM
9 h ahead of Ridgecrest, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
27,959
292,482
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ridgecrest, CA Bergen 8,150 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ridgecrest, CA
  • Bergen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Ridgecrest, CA vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bergen cheaper than Ridgecrest, CA?
Ridgecrest, CA is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and leisure. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ridgecrest, CA or Bergen?
Average pay runs 15% higher in Ridgecrest, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Ridgecrest, CA and Bergen?
Rent for a central apartment: $888 in Ridgecrest, CA versus $1,495 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $981 in Ridgecrest, CA versus $241 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Ridgecrest, CA or in Bergen?
Dining out is cheaper in Ridgecrest, CA – a meal for two runs $88.0 versus $137 in Bergen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Ridgecrest, CA or in Bergen?
At $2,432 in Ridgecrest, CA versus $2,927 in Bergen, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ridgecrest, CA but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Ridgecrest, CA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ridgecrest, CA or Bergen more family-friendly?
For families, Ridgecrest, CA 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.
Which city is safer, Ridgecrest, CA or Bergen?
Safety-wise, Ridgecrest, CA 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Ridgecrest, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ridgecrest, CA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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