Cost of Living Comparison Between Tonsberg and Bergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Tonsberg and Bergen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,702 in Tonsberg versus $2,907 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,937 in Tonsberg versus $4,400 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,172 in Tonsberg versus $5,894 in Bergen.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tonsberg 97% above, Bergen 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.99 NOK 195

$25.49 NOK 237

-17.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 NOK 997

$141 NOK 1,308

-23.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.96 NOK 148

$16.21 NOK 151

-1.54%

Cappuccino

$5.55 NOK 51.6

$5.63 NOK 52.4

-1.42%

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

$5.73 NOK 53.3

$5.28 NOK 49.12

8.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 NOK 50.5

$4.74 NOK 44.07

14.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.96 NOK 111

$12.91 NOK 120

-7.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.77 NOK 100

$10.52 NOK 97.9

2.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 NOK 21.21

$2.48 NOK 23.05

-8.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 NOK 33.33

$3.83 NOK 35.66

-6.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 NOK 41.17

$3.58 NOK 33.28

23.46%

Eggs

$4.87 NOK 45.36

$6.70 NOK 62.4

-27.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 NOK 108

$15.27 NOK 142

-24.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.09 NOK 140

$17.52 NOK 163

-13.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.62 NOK 313

$35.05 NOK 326

-4.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 NOK 28.19

$4.22 NOK 39.23

-28.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 NOK 21.87

$2.71 NOK 25.23

-13.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 NOK 28.39

$3.72 NOK 34.63

-18.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 NOK 53.0

$5.61 NOK 52.3

1.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 23.76

$2.56 NOK 23.79

-0.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 NOK 26.73

$3.48 NOK 32.34

-17.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 NOK 28.14

$3.03 NOK 28.18

-0.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 NOK 19.40

$1.99 NOK 18.48

4.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.36 NOK 152

$17.89 NOK 166

-8.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.07 NOK 177

$18.74 NOK 174

1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.70 NOK 34.44

$3.62 NOK 33.66

2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 NOK 38.15

$4.24 NOK 39.48

-3.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.92 NOK 45.82

$5.17 NOK 48.08

-4.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 NOK 790

$90.2 NOK 839

-5.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.44 NOK 97.1

$12.70 NOK 118

-17.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 NOK 16.28

$1.90 NOK 17.72

-7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$77.6 NOK 722

$73.1 NOK 681

6.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.63 NOK 24.45

$2.24 NOK 20.87

17.41%

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

$46.2K NOK 430.4K

$49.8K NOK 463.1K

-7.06%

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

$40.9K NOK 381.0K

$43.8K NOK 407.6K

-6.52%

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

$278 NOK 2,584

$286 NOK 2,659

-2.83%

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

$32.56 NOK 303

$31.94 NOK 297

1.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 NOK 520

$78.6 NOK 731

-28.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.71 NOK 453

$44.64 NOK 415

9.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.76 NOK 398

$43.59 NOK 406

-1.90%

Cinema Ticket

$18.06 NOK 168

$19.25 NOK 179

-6.18%

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

$233 NOK 2,170

$241 NOK 2,239

-3.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K NOK 107.2K

$11.9K NOK 111.2K

-3.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.0 NOK 837

$107 NOK 993

-15.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 NOK 582

$54.3 NOK 505

15.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 NOK 1,338

$123 NOK 1,144

17.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 NOK 1,341

$169 NOK 1,574

-14.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 NOK 11.5K

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

-18.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$995 NOK 9,258

$1,119 NOK 10.4K

-11.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 NOK 14.1K

$2,489 NOK 23.2K

-39.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 NOK 12.0K

$1,758 NOK 16.4K

-26.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,490 NOK 60.4K

$7,741 NOK 72.0K

-16.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,779 NOK 44.5K

$4,935 NOK 45.9K

-3.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,667 NOK 43.4K

$4,828 NOK 44.9K

-3.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

5.31

-6.59%

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

Last update for Tonsberg: August 29, 2026

Last update for Bergen: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,239 in Tonsberg and $1,514 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 3% 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: $107 in Tonsberg vs $141 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $492 vs $538 per month, with Tonsberg 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

Tonsberg vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 3% 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: $1,239 in Tonsberg versus $1,514 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $233 in Tonsberg 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 9% 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. Tonsberg is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Tonsberg 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, Tonsberg 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 Tonsberg 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.