NO flag
Bergen

Norway

vs
NO flag
Oslo

Norway

Climate

Bergen logs 0 outdoor-dinner months a year to Oslo's 3 — Oslo wins by 3. Bergen also leads on frost days by 100.

BergenOslo
Sunny days
111135
Hot days
00
Frost days
38138
Rain days
218105
Snow days
1336
Outdoor dinner months
0/123/12
Avg wind
4.0 m/s2.5 m/s
Sunshine hours
1,5201,705
Darkest month sun
13 hrs/mo14 hrs/mo
UV peak month
3.84.1

Bergen

Feels-like °C

-11
-11
-4
0
6
14
15
14
9
0
-4
-10

Dinner outside

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Oslo

Feels-like °C

-10
-8
-1
5
12
20
19
17
12
3
-3
-10

Dinner outside

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Cost of Living

Bergen is $425/mo cheaper

Bergen runs about $3,829/mo for a balanced lifestyle against Oslo's $4,254/mo — Bergen comes in $425 cheaper each month, roughly 11% less.

Bergen

$3,829

monthly · balanced

Minimalist $2,856Comfort $5,763
Top 95%in Among 217 Europe cities

Oslo

$4,254

monthly · balanced

Minimalist $3,196Comfort $6,522
Top 96%in Among 217 Europe cities

Mobility

On mobility, Oslo scores 3.6 vs Bergen's 2.8 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on cycling infrastructure. Bergen still holds an edge on car efficiency.

2.8/5
vs
3.6/5
BergenOslo
WalkabilityTransitCar EfficiencyAirport
WalkabilityTransitCyclingFlightsAirport
Oslo leads

Culture

Oslo's culture score of 3.9 sits well above Bergen's 3.3, with the biggest gap on arts & culture.

3.3/5
vs
3.9/5
BergenOslo
Theatre
ArtsHistoryTheatreVenuesNightlife
Oslo leads

Nature & Outdoors

Bergen and Oslo score neck-and-neck on nature & outdoors (4.8 vs 4.8, 0–5 scale).

4.8/5
vs
4.8/5
BergenOslo
SeaMountainsForestGreen AreasLakesRunningHikingCampingDivingSkiingClimbing
SeaMountainsForestGreen AreasLakesRunningHikingCampingBeachDivingSkiingClimbing

Safety

Oslo's safety score of 4.6 sits well above Bergen's 3.9, with the biggest gap on road safety. Bergen still holds an edge on wildfire safety.

3.9/5
vs
4.6/5
BergenOslo
Flooding
Oslo leads

Career

Oslo's career score of 4.0 sits well above Bergen's 2.4, with the biggest gap on career opportunities.

2.4/5
vs
4.0/5
BergenOslo
JobsEconomyStartupsCoworking
Oslo leads

Social & Community

Oslo's social & community score of 3.0 sits well above Bergen's 2.8, with the biggest gap on expat-first community. Bergen still holds an edge on street atmosphere.

2.8/5
vs
3.0/5
BergenOslo
Everyday EnglishExpat-First CommunityStreet AtmosphereGovernment Immigration FriendlinessAdmin English Support
Everyday EnglishExpat-First CommunityMulticultural MixUrban EnergyGovernment Immigration FriendlinessAdmin English Support
Oslo leads

Food & Dining

On food & dining, Oslo scores 3.4 vs Bergen's 2.8 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on brunch availability.

2.8/5
vs
3.4/5
BergenOslo
RestaurantsVeganDelivery
RestaurantsBrunchVeganDelivery
Oslo leads

Family

On family, Oslo scores 3.7 vs Bergen's 2.7 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on international schools.

2.7/5
vs
3.7/5
BergenOslo
UniversitiesAmenitiesPlaygroundsGroceriesGymSpa
Intl SchoolsUniversitiesAmenitiesSportPlaygroundsGroceriesGymYogaSpa
Oslo leads

Healthcare

On healthcare, Oslo scores 3.7 vs Bergen's 3.4 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on private healthcare quality.

3.4/5
vs
3.7/5
BergenOslo
Public Healthcare
Public HealthcarePrivate Healthcare
Oslo leads

Air Quality

Bergen averages 4.9 µg/m³ (excellent) PM2.5 annually versus Oslo's 6.5 µg/m³ (good) — Bergen breathes ~25% cleaner air (1.6 µg/m³ lower).

Bergen

Oslo

4.9µg/m³
6.5µg/m³

PM2.5 annual average

Excellent
Good

WHO classification

City Scale

Both maps at the same real-world scale — 1 cm on either map is the same distance.

Bergen (138K) and Oslo (890K) are 6.4x in population — Oslo is the larger metro, Bergen the smaller; on land area Oslo spans roughly 4.9x more ground.

5.6x

Oslo is roughly 5.6x the scale of Bergen

Combined population & area comparison

NO flagOslo
5.6x
NO flagBergen
1x

City Scale Rankings

Population
1.NO flagOslo890K6.4x
2.NO flagBergen138K1x
Area
1.NO flagOslo244 km²4.9x
2.NO flagBergen50 km²1x
© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
7.6 km15 km

NO flagBergen

© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
30 km24 km

NO flagOslo

Who Thrives Here

Frequently asked about Bergen vs Oslo

Which is cheaper, Bergen or Oslo?
Bergen is approximately $425 per month cheaper. Bergen averages $3,829/mo while Oslo averages $4,254/mo.
How does the climate compare between Bergen and Oslo?
Sunny days: 111 vs 135 d — Oslo higher Annual sunshine: 1,520 vs 1,705 hrs — Oslo higher Winter sunshine: 13 vs 14 hrs/day — Similar Hot days (>30°C): 0 vs 0 d — Similar Frost days: 38 vs 138 d — Bergen lower Rainy days: 218 vs 105 d — Oslo lower Snowy days: 13 vs 36 d — Bergen lower
Is Bergen or Oslo safer?
Oslo scores higher on safety. Bergen rates 3.9/5 while Oslo rates 4.6/5, based on street safety, property crime rates, and natural hazard exposure.
Should I move to Bergen or Oslo?
Bergen and Oslo are both popular relocation destinations with distinct characteristics. Bergen is generally more affordable, while Oslo may offer different lifestyle advantages. The best choice depends on your priorities — climate preferences, career opportunities, cost constraints, and lifestyle needs. Take the personalized quiz to find your ideal match, or explore the map to compare cities by region and lifestyle factors.

The best city depends on what matters to you

This comparison shows how Bergen and Oslo stack up on the data. But your climate preferences, budget, career needs, and lifestyle priorities can shift the picture entirely. A personalized diagnostic finds what fits your life.

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Bergen vs Oslo: Cost of Living, Climate & Safety Compared