Shopping on a student budget in Bergen

Study Bergen is not sponsored by any of the below retail outlets. This list is not comprehensive, suggestions for edits may be sent to hei@utdanningibergen.no. 

Second-hand

Bergen has a good selection of second-hand stores where you can find bargains on clothes, household items, furniture and more. If you are lucky, you can find unused items and maybe a design item or two. Some of the listed stores are outside of the city center, but easy to reach by bus. 

• Fretex
• NMS Gjenbruk Bergen
• Vel Bevart Bruktbutikk
• Miljømarkedet Bruktbygg
• Mamilla Gjenbruk
• Gjenbrukspikene 
• Skrotkisten

For a comprehensive list of all thrift stores and flea markets in Bergen, head over to Thrift - and vintage shops in Bergen.

Retail stores in Bergen

The following stores have items that students may find useful, such as household goods, furnishings, electronics, outdoor gear, and clothes. Students who are used to lower prices in their home countries may find these stores more reasonably priced. Additionally, it is generally helpful to shop during seasonal sales when it is common for many stores to offer substantial discounts.

A selection of stores for household items:

• IKEA 
• Clas Ohlson 
• POWER
• Elkjøp 
• Nille
• Sparkjøp
• Søstrene Grene

New clothes:

• H&M
• Cubus
• Lindex

Outdoor/sporting goods:

• XXL
• Stormberg
• Coop OBS Hypermarked

Grocery options

Grocery prices may vary from store to store and depending on the item. Stores considered less expensive include Rema 1000 and Kiwi. ‘First Price’ or ‘Rema 1000’ brand foods tend to be less expensive.

• International stores such as Mango Supermarked, Eksotisk torg, Oliven Eksotisk mat, and many more, offer variety and may have cheaper produce.
• Apps such as Mattilbud ("Food offers") and Too Good to Go may also direct you to lower priced options. 

Online

• Some student housing such as Fantoft or Alrek offer student markets on Facebook
• University-specific market groups such as UiB - Børs - Kjøp/selg bøker, Billetter og annet and NHH - Kjøp og salg are also available.
• Other community markets on Facebook include Bergen Expats Classifieds or Kjøpe, selge, bytte, gis bort Bergen (“Buy, sell, swap, give away Bergen”)
• Finn.no (in Norwegian) is a website where (primarily) second-hand items can be advertised by individuals. Both selling and give aways.
• Tise (in Norwegian) is a social, mobile marketplace where second-hand clothes, interior and hobby items are sold. 
• Leieting.no is an app and web site where you can rent stuff or rent out your own stuff. 

It is important to note that ordering from online shops outside of Norway may not save you money. Items costing over a specific amount may be subject to toll and import duties, and shipping costs to Norway tend to be high. It is necessary to account for these extra expenses when considering online purchases.

One positive thing is that you do not pay customs duty or VAT on books for your own private use, so ordering books for your studies can sometimes be cheaper ordering from abroad. 

Exemption from VAT also generally applies to:

1. newspapers and magazines
2. comics published in book form
3. song books
4. audiobooks with the same content as a printed book

Opening hours

Opening hours in Norway varies from store to store, but chain-stores and general retail stores have opening hours 8.00-21.00. Government offices usually closes around 15.00-16.00 and are closed on weekends. On Saturday, stores usually close around 18.00, but some grocery stores are open longer. On Sundays and holidays, most stores except a few grocery stores are closed. Bars and clubs have different opening hours,but they are not allowed to serve alcohol after 2 am. 

Vinmonopolet (official stores operated by the Norwegian government that have exclusive rights to sell alcoholic beverages above 4.7%) closes on 18.00 on weekdays and 16.00 on Saturdays. Grocery stores are allowed to sell alcoholic beverages between 08.00 and 20.00 on weekdays and 08.00-18.00 on Saturdays.

Note that shops and Vinmonopolet usually have shorter opening hours on the day before public holidays such as Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, Holy Saturday (Easter) and Pentecost Eve. On Sundays, public holidays and election day you cannot buy alcoholic beverages in the shops/Vinmonopolet.