Moving to Norway: How much money do I need to live in Bergen?

Bergen, the picturesque city on Norway’s west coast, is an excellent place to call home. But how much money will you need to live comfortably there? The Local takes a look at the numbers.

Published: 27 September 2022 11:49 CEST
Updated: 17 November 2023 15:06 CET

Pictured are residential side streets in Bergen.

Here's how much money you'll need to live in Bergen. Pictured are the streets of Norway's second city. Photo by Lucija Ros on Unsplash

Norway’s second-largest city, Bergen, is famous for its picturesque UNESCO-listed harbour, and the city attracts tourists in their droves, charmed by the typically Norwegian architecture in the town.

Bergen is also a popular landing spot for foreigners in Norway, with many calling Norway’s second city home due to work, studying there or falling in love with the place on a trip.

However, Norway is a seriously expensive place to call home. So, how much money will you need to call Bergen home?

Below we’ll crunch the numbers on the most essential costs.

Rent: 5,500- 12,500 kroner

One thing that makes Bergen a much more attractive proposition than Oslo is the lower cost of renting. The average cost of renting in Bergen is around 12,542 kroner per month, according to figures from the rental agency Utleiemeglern.

If you just need to rent a room, then you can expect to pay more than half of this. Rental platform Hybel lists the average cost of a room in Bergen at just over 5,500 kroner per month.

If you are in need of much more space, a dethatched house was on the market for an average of 17,490 kroner.

Utilities: 1,000- 1,500 kroner

Average monthly energy prices have ranged between 1,39 kroner per kilowatt hour and 53 øre per kilowatt hour.

Additionally, bills will become more expensive through the winter as temperatures drop and consumers use more power.

Figures show the average monthly consumption for an apartment ranges from 300-500 kWh a month. Bigger homes will typically need more energy to power them.

Estimates from a comparison site show that monthly energy bills for a home with an annual consumption of 8,500 kilowatts per year would be 450 kroner per month. Homes with a annual consumption of around 16,000 kilowatts per year will pay closer to 850 kroner per month.

When renting in Norway, the landlord may cover the water and Wi-Fi bills. If they do not, then you can add another 500 kroner to the price of utilities.

Transport: up to 755 kroner

Compact would be one way to describe Bergen’s city centre. However, some more residential areas may be too far for some to walk.

Transport in the city, both busses and the Bergen Light Rail, is handled by Skyss. A single ticket from Skyss for an adult costs 40 kroner, or more onboard.

A monthly ticket costs 755 kroner, while a weekly one will set you back 235 kroner. A monthly ticket works out cheaper if you make more than 19 single trips in a month.

Food: 4,270 kroner

Consumption Research Norway (SIFO) estimates that the average cost of food for someone aged between 31- 50 was up to 4,270 kroner per month.

Eurostat, which monitors price levels across the EU, EEA and EU candidate countries, has ranked Norway with the second highest price level index for food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Only Switzerland had a higher price level index than the countries monitored by the stats agency. A price level index measures the price levels of a given nation relative to other countries. This means that compared to the rest of the other countries measured, food and non-alcoholic beverages in Norway are the second most expensive overall.

Childcare: 3,170 kroner

Roughly 90 percent of children living in Norway attend a kindergarten. The maximum price for a kindergarten spot in Norway is 3,050 kroner per month. This applies to both municipal and private kindergartens. However, other fees and costs are typically involved too.

According to national data agency Statistics Norway (SSB) the average cost of childcare in Bergen was 3,170 kroner.

You can shop around to find cheaper kindergartens or one that more suits your need.

It’s unlikely that you’ll want to be sat all week indoors after moving to a new city, so you’ll obviously want to know how much you can expect to shell out for one of the country’s infamously expensive beers while out:

Beer: 99-125 kroner

Glass of wine: 105-115 kroner

Cocktail: 120-140 kroner

Coffee: 48 kroner

Cinema: 140- 180 kroner

Meal for two at a mid-range restaurant: 700-900 kroner

A cinnamon bun or hot dog: 50-65 kroner

Gym membership: 450-750 kroner