Cost of Living Comparison Between Skien and Bergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Skien and Bergen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,357 in Skien versus $2,907 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,341 in Skien versus $4,400 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,326 in Skien versus $5,894 in Bergen.

Living in Skien costs roughly 19% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Skien 72% above, Bergen 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.53 NOK 200

$25.49 NOK 237

-15.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 NOK 989

$141 NOK 1,305

-24.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.84 NOK 147

$16.21 NOK 150

-2.28%

Cappuccino

$5.47 NOK 50.8

$5.63 NOK 52.3

-2.84%

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

$4.23 NOK 39.25

$5.28 NOK 49.00

-19.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 NOK 29.70

$4.74 NOK 43.97

-32.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.01 NOK 112

$12.91 NOK 120

-6.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.63 NOK 117

$10.52 NOK 97.7

20.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NOK 19.24

$2.48 NOK 23.00

-16.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 NOK 36.69

$3.83 NOK 35.57

3.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 NOK 43.37

$3.58 NOK 33.20

30.45%

Eggs

$5.80 NOK 53.8

$6.70 NOK 62.2

-13.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 NOK 126

$15.27 NOK 142

-11.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.54 NOK 144

$17.52 NOK 163

-11.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 NOK 213

$35.05 NOK 325

-34.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 NOK 31.61

$4.22 NOK 39.14

-19.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 NOK 25.60

$2.71 NOK 25.17

1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 NOK 32.11

$3.72 NOK 34.55

-6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 NOK 56.2

$5.61 NOK 52.1

7.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 NOK 22.06

$2.56 NOK 23.73

-7.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 NOK 27.75

$3.48 NOK 32.27

-14.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 NOK 28.42

$3.03 NOK 28.12

0.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NOK 22.78

$1.99 NOK 18.44

23.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.12 NOK 177

$17.89 NOK 166

6.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.30 NOK 151

$18.74 NOK 174

-13.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NOK 32.67

$3.62 NOK 33.58

-2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 NOK 41.20

$4.24 NOK 39.39

4.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.47 NOK 32.20

$5.17 NOK 47.97

-32.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.24 NOK 448

$90.2 NOK 837

-46.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.14 NOK 103

$12.70 NOK 118

-12.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 NOK 17.75

$1.90 NOK 17.68

0.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.6 NOK 674

$73.1 NOK 679

-0.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 20.89

$2.24 NOK 20.82

0.45%

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

$48.5K NOK 450.7K

$49.8K NOK 462.0K

-2.44%

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

$43.9K NOK 407.8K

$43.8K NOK 406.7K

0.29%

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

$97.8 NOK 908

$286 NOK 2,653

-65.77%

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

$33.45 NOK 311

$31.94 NOK 297

4.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 NOK 543

$78.6 NOK 729

-25.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 NOK 381

$44.64 NOK 414

-8.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.59 NOK 405

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 NOK 142

$19.25 NOK 179

-20.52%

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

$244 NOK 2,266

$241 NOK 2,234

1.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K NOK 148.8K

$11.9K NOK 110.9K

34.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 NOK 585

$107 NOK 991

-40.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 NOK 565

$54.3 NOK 504

12.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 NOK 842

$123 NOK 1,141

-26.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,495

$169 NOK 1,571

-4.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

-28.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 NOK 9,168

$1,119 NOK 10.4K

-11.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 NOK 9,751

$2,489 NOK 23.1K

-57.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 NOK 9,017

$1,758 NOK 16.3K

-44.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,603 NOK 33.5K

$7,741 NOK 71.9K

-53.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,179 NOK 29.5K

$4,935 NOK 45.8K

-35.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,293 NOK 39.9K

$4,828 NOK 44.8K

-11.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

5.31

-17.70%

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

Last update for Skien: September 1, 2026

Last update for Bergen: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,080 in Skien and $1,514 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 12% 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: $106 in Skien vs $141 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $481 vs $538 per month, with Skien 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

Skien vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skien is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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: $1,080 in Skien versus $1,514 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $244 in Skien 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 12% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,357 in Skien versus $2,907 in Bergen, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Skien but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Skien the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Skien 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, Skien 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 Skien gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.