Bergen vs Surabaya

Detailed side-by-side comparison of living costs, infrastructure, safety, and nomad lifestyle.

Share
Copy link

πŸ† Who Wins?

πŸ’°
Best Budget Surabaya
🌐
Fastest Internet Bergen
πŸ”₯
Best Vibe 🀝 Tie
πŸ›‘οΈ
Safest City Bergen
🌿
Cleanest Air Bergen
🚢
Most Walkable Bergen
πŸ† Overall Winner: Bergen
Show differences only
Metric Bergen
Norway
Surabaya
Indonesia
πŸ’° Monthly Budget & Costs
Total Est. Budget $1983 $570
1-Bed Center Rent $1200 $250
Coworking Desk $260 $60
Local Meal $18 $2.5
Cappuccino $4.5 $1.8
Gym Membership $46 $25
Transport Budget $83 $20
πŸ’» Workspace & Infrastructure
Internet Speed 90 Mbps 25 Mbps
Nomad Vibe 7/10 7/10
🌿 Quality of Life & Culture
Safety Index 78/100 65/100
Healthcare Quality Excellent Average
English Proficiency Excellent Basic
Climate Type Oceanic Tropical monsoon
Best Time to Visit May - Sep Apr - Oct

Bergen

πŸ‘ Pros

  • βœ… Stunning fjord and mountain scenery
  • βœ… Extremely safe city with low crime
  • βœ… Excellent air quality and clean environment
  • βœ… High English proficiency everywhere
  • βœ… Efficient public transport system
  • βœ… Strong work-life balance culture

πŸ‘Ž Cons

  • ❌ Very high cost of living
  • ❌ Frequent rain and cloudy weather
  • ❌ Limited nightlife compared to bigger cities
  • ❌ High personal income taxes
  • ❌ Dark winters with very short days
  • ❌ Competitive and expensive housing market

πŸ›‚ Nomad Visas

  • β–ͺ Schengen tourist visa (90 days)
  • β–ͺ No dedicated nomad visa
  • β–ͺ Residence permit for work/study

Surabaya

πŸ‘ Pros

  • βœ… Extremely low cost of living, especially for housing and food
  • βœ… Excellent street food scene with diverse local cuisine
  • βœ… Friendly and welcoming local community
  • βœ… Good base for exploring East Java (Mount Bromo, Malang)
  • βœ… Reliable 4G/LTE coverage across the city
  • βœ… Less touristy than Bali, offering authentic Indonesian culture

πŸ‘Ž Cons

  • ❌ Limited English proficiency outside business areas
  • ❌ Heavy traffic congestion during peak hours
  • ❌ High humidity and frequent rain in wet season
  • ❌ Public transportation is limited; motorbike or ride-hailing essential
  • ❌ Air quality can be poor due to vehicle emissions
  • ❌ Tap water is not drinkable; rely on bottled water

πŸ›‚ Nomad Visas

  • β–ͺ Visa on Arrival (30 days, extendable)
  • β–ͺ B211A Social-Business Visa (60 days)
  • β–ͺ B211B Digital Nomad Visa (6 months)

Compare Cities

Jobicy+ Subscription

Jobicy

614 professionals pay to access exclusive and experimental features on Jobicy

Free

USD $0/month

For people just getting started

  • • Unlimited applies and searches
  • • Access on web and mobile apps
  • • Weekly job alerts and digest
  • • Access to additional tools like Bookmarks, Applications, and more

Plus

USD $8/month

Everything in Free, and:

  • • Ad-free experience
  • • Daily job alerts and digest
  • • Personal career consultant
  • • AI-powered job advice
Go to account β€Ί