Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandnes and Bergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandnes and Bergen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,699 in Sandnes versus $2,907 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,203 in Sandnes versus $4,400 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,708 in Sandnes versus $5,894 in Bergen.

Living in Sandnes costs roughly 7% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sandnes 96% above, Bergen 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.98 NOK 241

$25.49 NOK 237

1.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.6 NOK 906

$141 NOK 1,305

-30.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.53 NOK 144

$16.21 NOK 150

-4.19%

Cappuccino

$5.86 NOK 54.4

$5.63 NOK 52.3

4.09%

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

$3.53 NOK 32.73

$5.28 NOK 49.00

-33.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 NOK 27.29

$4.74 NOK 43.97

-37.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.88 NOK 129

$12.91 NOK 120

7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.47 NOK 116

$10.52 NOK 97.7

18.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 NOK 22.52

$2.48 NOK 23.00

-2.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 NOK 33.27

$3.83 NOK 35.57

-6.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 23.66

$3.58 NOK 33.20

-28.77%

Eggs

$4.80 NOK 44.59

$6.70 NOK 62.2

-28.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.82 NOK 128

$15.27 NOK 142

-9.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.35 NOK 152

$17.52 NOK 163

-6.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$32.90 NOK 305

$35.05 NOK 325

-6.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 NOK 33.84

$4.22 NOK 39.14

-13.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 NOK 26.08

$2.71 NOK 25.17

3.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 NOK 29.56

$3.72 NOK 34.55

-14.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 NOK 46.12

$5.61 NOK 52.1

-11.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 NOK 23.52

$2.56 NOK 23.73

-1.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 NOK 21.74

$3.48 NOK 32.27

-32.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 25.80

$3.03 NOK 28.12

-8.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NOK 22.34

$1.99 NOK 18.44

21.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.68 NOK 155

$17.89 NOK 166

-6.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.14 NOK 159

$18.74 NOK 174

-8.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 NOK 30.49

$3.62 NOK 33.58

-9.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 NOK 40.74

$4.24 NOK 39.39

3.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.85 NOK 45.00

$5.17 NOK 47.97

-6.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.3 NOK 801

$90.2 NOK 837

-4.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.41 NOK 59.5

$12.70 NOK 118

-49.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NOK 16.75

$1.90 NOK 17.68

-5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.95 NOK 454

$73.1 NOK 679

-33.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 20.85

$2.24 NOK 20.82

0.45%

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

$45.1K NOK 418.3K

$49.8K NOK 462.0K

-9.45%

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

$39.0K NOK 361.9K

$43.8K NOK 406.7K

-11.01%

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

$256 NOK 2,378

$286 NOK 2,653

-10.37%

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

$35.65 NOK 331

$31.94 NOK 297

11.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.4 NOK 775

$78.6 NOK 729

6.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.60 NOK 433

$44.64 NOK 414

4.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.0 NOK 501

$43.59 NOK 405

23.81%

Cinema Ticket

$19.63 NOK 182

$19.25 NOK 179

1.97%

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

$291 NOK 2,705

$241 NOK 2,234

21.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,807 NOK 91.1K

$11.9K NOK 110.9K

-17.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$130 NOK 1,205

$107 NOK 991

21.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.3 NOK 560

$54.3 NOK 504

11.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 NOK 1,120

$123 NOK 1,141

-1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$193 NOK 1,795

$169 NOK 1,571

14.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 NOK 12.4K

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

-11.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$966 NOK 8,967

$1,119 NOK 10.4K

-13.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 NOK 18.8K

$2,489 NOK 23.1K

-18.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 NOK 16.9K

$1,758 NOK 16.3K

3.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,133 NOK 66.2K

$7,741 NOK 71.9K

-7.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,060 NOK 37.7K

$4,935 NOK 45.8K

-17.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,736 NOK 34.7K

$4,828 NOK 44.8K

-22.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.22

5.31

-1.69%

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

Last update for Sandnes: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bergen: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,339 in Sandnes and $1,514 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 29% 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 Sandnes vs $141 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $496 vs $538 per month, with Sandnes 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

Sandnes vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sandnes is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 29% 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: $1,339 in Sandnes versus $1,514 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $291 in Sandnes 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 8% 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. Sandnes is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Sandnes 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, Sandnes 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 Sandnes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.