Quality of life in Bergen
Bergen, Norway, is among the top cities with a free business environment. According to our city rankings, this is a good place to live with high ratings in safety, healthcare and environmental quality.
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Life quality score
City ranking
Housing
5
195/265Details
| Large apartment | $1800.00 |
|---|---|
| Medium apartment | $1500.00 |
| Rent index [score] | 0.54 |
| Small apartment | $1200.00 |
Cost of Living
2
242/248Details
| 5km taxi ride | $10.00 |
|---|---|
| A Cappuccino | $5.10 |
| A beer | $4.00 |
| A kilogram of Apples | $3.00 |
| Bread | $1.20 |
| Inflation [score] | 0.18 |
| Lunch | $22.00 |
| Monthly fitness club membership | $54.00 |
| Monthly public transport | $90.00 |
| Movie ticket | $16.00 |
| Price of a meal at a restaurant | $114.20 |
Startups
2
240/264Details
| Average monthly increase in number of startups | 1 |
|---|---|
| Average monthly increase in number of startups [score] | 0.20 |
| Coworking spaces [score] | 0.10 |
| Coworking spaces on WorkFrom.co | 2 |
| Meetups [score] | 0.18 |
| Meetups groups | 35 |
| Meetups members | 7057 |
| Number of startup events in the last 12 months | 18 |
| Number of upcoming meetup events | 7 |
| Startup climate scene [score] | 0.43 |
| Startup events | 8 |
| Startup events [score] | 0.31 |
| Startups [score] | 0.24 |
| Total number of startups | 22 |
Venture Capital
1
189/192Details
| Venture capital [score] | 0.10 |
|---|
Travel Connectivity
3
123/266Details
| Airport hub | 49 |
|---|---|
| Airport hub [score] | 0.28 |
| Intercity train connectivity [score] | 0.37 |
Commute
6
33/255Details
| Traffic handling [score] | 0.92 |
|---|
Business Freedom
10
7/264Details
| Business freedom | 89.60 |
|---|---|
| Business freedom [score] | 0.96 |
| Freedom from corruption | 86.00 |
| Freedom from corruption [score] | 0.96 |
| Lack of labor restrictions | 48.50 |
| Lack of labor restrictions [score] | 0.25 |
| Time to open a business | 4.00 |
| Time to open a business [score] | 0.97 |
Safety
8
98/266Details
| Crime rate [score] | 0.71 |
|---|---|
| Gun-related deaths per 100,000 residents per year | 2 |
| Guns per 100 residents | 31 |
| Lack of gun related deaths [score] | 0.95 |
| Lack of guns [score] | 0.83 |
| Lack of guns and gun-related deaths [score] | 0.89 |
Healthcare
9
26/265Details
| Healthcare expenditure [score] | 1.00 |
|---|---|
| Healthcare quality [score] | 0.81 |
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.77 |
| Life expectancy [score] | 0.90 |
Education
5
93/240Details
| Best university in ranking | University of Bergen |
|---|---|
| Best university ranking | 225 |
| Country mean scores in PISA math test | 492.10 |
| Country mean scores in PISA reading test | 503.94 |
| Country mean scores in PISA science test | 494.52 |
| PISA math ranking (high school) | 16 |
| PISA ranking | 13 |
| PISA ranking (high school) [score] | 0.84 |
| PISA reading (high school) | 8 |
| PISA science (high school) | 18 |
| Percent of happy students | 0.85 |
| Percent of low performers in PISA math test | 0.22 |
| Percent of low performers in PISA reading test | 0.16 |
| Percent of low performers in PISA science test | 0.20 |
| Percent of top performers in PISA math test | 0.09 |
| Percent of top performers in PISA reading test | 0.10 |
| Percent of top performers in PISA science test | 0.08 |
| University quality [score] | 0.13 |
Environmental Quality
8
84/266Details
| Air quality [score] | 0.81 |
|---|---|
| Cleanliness [score] | 0.61 |
| Drinking water quality [score] | 0.89 |
| Urban greenery [score] | 0.70 |
Economy
7
8/263Details
| Currency exchange rate per US dollar for urban area | 7.89 |
|---|---|
| Currency for urban area | NOK |
| GDP growth rate | 0.02 |
| GDP growth rate [score] | 0.41 |
| GDP per capita | $66937.46 |
| GDP per capita [score] | 1.00 |
Taxation
5
134/266Details
| Effective company profit tax rate on payouts as dividends [score] | 0.62 |
|---|---|
| Income tax level [score] | 0.33 |
| Profit tax (% of profit) | 0.40 |
| Time overhead to file company taxes | 83 |
| VAT (Sales Tax) | 0.25 |
Internet Access
7
53/266Details
| Download speed (Mbps) | 57.55 |
|---|---|
| Internet access (download) [score] | 0.67 |
| Internet access (upload) [score] | 0.64 |
| Upload speed (Mbps) | 17.43 |
Leisure & Culture
4
199/264Details
| Art galleries | 34 |
|---|---|
| Art galleries [score] | 0.38 |
| Cinemas | 12 |
| Cinemas [score] | 0.18 |
| Comedy clubs | 9 |
| Comedy clubs [score] | 0.41 |
| Concert venues | 35 |
| Concerts [score] | 0.35 |
| Historical sites | 26 |
| Historical sites [score] | 0.54 |
| Museums | 36 |
| Museums [score] | 0.36 |
| Performing art venues | 28 |
| Performing arts [score] | 0.37 |
| Sport venues | 28 |
| Sports [score] | 0.33 |
| Zoos | 4 |
| Zoos [score] | 0.64 |
Tolerance
8
92/266Details
| LGBT Equality Index | 93.13 |
|---|---|
| LGBT Equality Index [score] | 0.96 |
| LGBT adoption rights | ✔ Legal |
| LGBT age of consent | ✔ Equal |
| LGBT blood donation regulations | ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral) |
| LGBT conversion therapy regulations | Ambiguous |
| LGBT discrimination legality | ✔ Illegal |
| LGBT employment discrimination legality | ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity |
| LGBT gender changing rights | ✔ Legal, but requires surgery |
| LGBT homosexuality rights | ✔ Legal |
| LGBT housing discrimination legality | ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity |
| LGBT marriage rights | ✔ Legal |
| Tolerance towards minorities [score] | 0.57 |
Outdoors
4
165/266Details
| Elevation (hills or mountains) [score] | 0.20 |
|---|---|
| Median peak in meters | 409.00 |
| Presence of hills in city | 1.00 |
| Presence of mountains in city | 1.00 |
| Seaside access | 1.00 |
| Water access [score] | 0.66 |
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Cost of living
Costs of living in Bergen are in the most expensive 10 percent of all 248 Teleport cities. Moving to Bergen will very likely increase your daily costs of living. Sign up for free to get access to our cost of living index and use our international cost of living calculator to do cost comparison by city.
Housing costs (USD)
$1800
Median rent for
apartments in city center
apartments in city center
Daily living costs (USD)
 Movie ticket | $16 |
|---|---|
 Monthly fitness club membership | $54 |
 Monthly public transport | $90 |
 Lunch | $22 |
+7%
compared to
San Francisco
San Francisco
Job salary calculator
Software Engineer salaries in Bergen are above average. For this job type, Bergen ranks 110th for salaries among 265 cities. Get access to our salary comparison calculator by signing up. Compare salaries city by city with our free salary wizard and convert your own salary to a local salary in Bergen.
Estimated annual salary (in USD)
$48,118
Median salary
Locals review Bergen
Do locals recommend living in Bergen?
What could Bergen do better?#improveBergen
How could Bergen improve to make it a more liveable city? We will make sure that the local government will know about the suggestions that reach enough votes*.
*Suggestions will be delivered to: Mayor of Bergen - Marte Mjøs Persen
What makes Bergen a special place?#praiseBergen
Is Bergen a great place to live? What makes it special for you? What makes it liveable? What should others know about? Why should they move here? Why do you love it?
Local Currency
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Safety
Gun crimes & Ownership
31.30
Guns per 100 people
1.75
Gun deaths per 100k people / year
North America
Europe
Asia
South America
Africa
Oceania
Overall crime rate city ranking
The overall crime rate puts Bergen in position 85 of 266 Teleport Cities in a ranking for the safest cities.
Education
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Explore the streets of Bergen
People in Bergen
Friends living in Bergen
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Teleport Users X Bergen
Teleport users who are Bergen
Work in:
15.38%
7.69%
7.69%
7.69%
7.69%
7.69%
7.69%
38.46%
Come from:
LGBT rights in Bergen
Homosexuality
Legal
Changing gender
Legal
But Requires Surgery
Discrimination
Illegal
Marriage
Legal
Adoption
Legal
Climate
Average number of days per year without rain
113Climate type
Marine West Coast
Average daily maximum temperature
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Startup scene
Number of startups
22
By stage
Total funding last 12 months
$0
Funding last 12 months
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On living in Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway and the most popular gateway to the fjords of West Norway. The city is renowned for its great location amidst mountains, fjords and the ocean. Steep mountains and highlands within the city offers excellent hiking opportunities. Having fostered many of Norway's greatest bands and artists, the city is also famous for its cultural life and underground/indie music scene. Bergen's unpredictable weather adds to its quirky, unmistakable charm. Bergen was Norway's main city for centuries, and many patriotic inhabitants believe it still is.
Most characteristic for Bergen is the location among steep mountains. Bergen is surrounded by sea (straits and fjords) and the city itself has a large number of lakes. It is a typical Norwegian wooden town, even downtown there are notable neighborhoods of small wooden houses in various styles. In some areas wooden houses have been replaced by taller masonry structures giving the city fascinating mix of old and new.
Bergen has some fine examples of functionalist architecture such as Kalmar House and Sundt shopping centre. "Brutalist" buildings include the science building at the university and the city hall.
Read moreGood Country Index
Every city comes with a country. How is this one doing in terms of giving back to the global community? Our friends at The Good Country Index measure what each country on earth contributes to the common good of humanity, and what it takes away, relative to its size.
Overall ranking
10th from a total of 163 countries
World Order
6thRefugees hosted
Refugees generated
Charity giving
Birth rate
UN Treaties signed
International Peace & Security
58thDues in arrears to UN peace keeping budgets
International violent conflict
Peacekeeping troops
Arms exports
Internet security (2014)
Planet & Climate
2ndEcological footprint
Reforestation since 1992
Hazardous pesticides exports
CO2 emissions
Ozone
Prosperity & Equality
17thDevelopment assistance
FDI outflows
Fairtrade market size
UN volunteers abroad
Open trading
Culture
36thFreedom of movement
Press freedom
Creative services exports
UNESCO dues in arrears as % of contribution
Creative goods exports
Science & Technology
41stNobel prizes
Patents
Journal exports
International publications
International Students
Health & Wellbeing
8thPharmaceutical exports
Voluntary excess donations to the WHO
Food aid
Humanitarian aid donations
International Health Regulations Compliance
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