Back in October I wrote a post about how much I loved Switzerland, despite the high costs of travelling there. It was my first time in the country and, while I couldn’t believe the prices, I still adored it. What can I say? I have expensive taste. Clean, efficient, high quality places attract me and I’m happy to pay a bit more if I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth. I said at the time how nice it must be to live in a place like Switzerland. We even looked into it as a potential home. But I think it was all just forshadowing for the place we would eventually end up: dear Norway.
Norway’s currency: the Norwegian krone – Photo by kjelljoran from Flickr.
Let me preface by saying that we love it here so far. Even more than my beloved Switzerland. While there’s no cheese fondue or Swiss-German being spoken around us and we don’t have the Alps, I’m more than content. Standards of living are high, people are friendly and helpful, efficiency seems the go and everywhere I look is nature’s eye-candy. But it does all come with a hefty price tag, even moreso I imagine for visitors who aren’t earning the local currency, Norwegian krone (NOK). Norway has one of the highest price levels for personal goods and services in all of Europe; the cost of food is a whopping 47 per cent higher than the continental average.
It’s all relative, though. We moved here from Australia, which seems to get more expensive every time we return. When I first migrated Down Under from the United States several years ago I couldn’t believe how expensive things were. We regularly pay A$9-12 for a pint of beer, A$1.50 for a litre of fuel and don’t even get me started on the costs of cable television and internet subscriptions: the top-level pay television package is around A$120 per month and that includes less than 100 channels. Clothing, cars and accommodation are dear and the tax level is very high for what you get back as a mid to top-level earner. So coming to Norway wasn’t as shocking for our wallets as it might be for someone from say, the US, UK or Germany.
That said, we are finding some things to be extremely pricey. Restaurants, alcohol, fuel and accommodation seem to be the most costly. We went out for fajitas the other night and paid NOK 310 each (A$50). They were some tasty fajitas but not any better than I could make at home for a lot less. Fast food burgers are about A$8 each, a pint of domestic craft beer about A$20. That’s high by anyone’s standards. We’re in Stavanger so I’m conscious that things might be a bit cheaper in Oslo – a student we spoke with the other night told us that our town is actually more expensive than Oslo when it comes to renting an apartment. Fuel prices are the scariest: A$2.50 per litre in central Stavanger! That’s pretty crazy considerin Norway sits on one of the world’s largest oil reserves. We’ll definitely be waiting as long as possible before purchasing a car.
Alcohol is very pricey in Norway.
It’s not all bad news. Anyone can camp for free in the wilderness areas (some restrictions do exist so be sure to do research before pitching your tent). Taxes are high but the benefits are the best I’ve seen in any country with a socialized health and work system. Some things, such as cable television and internet are cheap for us compared to Australia, especially considering the differences in speed and the variety of channels available. There is no need to purchase bottled water. Our grocery bill is only slightly higher than it would have been in Australia. And hey, we’ll be loving it when we travel internationally: we’ll be spending NOK and everything will seem like a bargain, even London.
For locals, these prices are affordable with the wages on offer. People don’t seem too concerned with the costs going about their daily business and no one talks about how overpriced things are. This is just the way it is here and it’s best to just not think about it too much. For us, Norway is a place where we’ve come to settle for a little while. We’re not drinking much alcohol these days and won’t be going out to restaurants often. Our plan is to start a family, take it easy and enjoy all the nature and outdoor activities in our free time. Thank goodness hiking is free!
But we did get a taste of what it’s like to be a tourist here for a couple of weeks and I certainly could never recommend Norway as a budget travel destination. A basic room at a no-frills chain hotel on the outskirts of town with breakfast ran us around A$350 a night. Again, this is Stavanger and it’s always busy here for business people, which drives up prices. A guide to some of the prices can be found in this cost of living index for Norway.
Have you visited or lived in Norway? What are your thoughts on the cost of living?
This is not just a blog for travellers. We hope to inspire our readers, whether they’ve visited dozens of countries or barely make it to the next town once a year. We're John and Andrea, a couple of thirty-something travellers and expats. Our travel style is laid-back luxe and we are constantly seeking out the best experiences each destination has to offer. 
{ 92 comments… read them below or add one }
Ugh, I’ve heard it’s super expensive there. Have a feeling we’d be camping! Beautiful currency, though!
It is pretty money, isn’t it? Guess it has some inherent value then, eh?
I was waiting for a post like this
After spending a few weeks in Oslo a year or so ago, I think it’s the most expensive city I have ever visited (I haven’t yet been to Switzerland). I have friends in Oslo (very good, and very generous friends!), so I didn’t need to pay for accommodation, and we had a few meals at home. However – eating out, drinking out, etc, can be very expensive.
But, what an amazing country Norway is, I didn’t regret a cent I spent!
Well, if you make it back here you have generous friends in Stavanger too =) Guess we’ll have to save hard for a trip to Oslo…or put all our frequent flyer/hotel loyalty points to good use.
Ouch! Everything sounds plenty expensive. We did meet a Norwegian guy in Cuba and he told us he had plumbing done in his house worth 100,000 Euros! :O We just thought he was crazy, hah!
I think that anything related to housing here is really expensive. Wonder what he was having done for that price?
I’ve gotta say, that’s one aspect of ecotourism we probably don’t write about nearly enough– how cheap it can be if done properly. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a European country, but when I went to Scotland and England a few years back I remember that everything seemed even more expensive than in the U.S.
Could be a great post series for the more expensive but very natural destinations like Norway and Switzerland. I’m sure it is very possible to do the budget thing here if you’re able to be self-sufficient and camp. We’re not big campers, unfortunately…
We plan to visit Norway this summer. I guess we have to get ready some high prices.
I definitely recommend booking your accommodation in advance and saving some extra money, just in case other areas are as busy as Stavanger. We booked our initial accommodation here last minute and all the cheapest places were full.
I had no idea that Norway was so expensive, good to know for budget travelers. I love Denmark, but was surprised at how expensive it was as well, same with Switzerland.
I haven’t been to Denmark yet but it’s on the list since we can take a short ferry from here. At least standards are up there with the prices so you do feel like you’re getting your money’s worth on most things =)
Most of the Nordic states are mindblowingly-expensive! It’s a shame, too, because there are so many beautiful things to see there. Loved the post!
Thanks so much! I think it’s definitely worth it to visit but good to be prepared =)
Wowsa! I thought Switzerland was the most expensive place I could imagine. Oh my gosh. Eating out and having a drink are crazy expensive. I knew gas would always be costly in Europe, but that is pretty steep. Like you said, focus on the quality of life and the fact that you have an opportunity to explore another area of the world.
I think you’ll find that petrol prices vary quite a bit from region to region. I’m learning new things every day when it comes to European prices – for example if you look at Sophie’s comment, petrol “is apparently one of the lowest around, seen in relation to wages.” It can be very difficult to compare things for people living here vs. visitors. At least the standards are good so you do feel like you’re getting value for your money. And it certainly helps to be living here and earning the local currency. Looks like being an expat is the perfect way to experience Scandinavia =)
Yeah… I can’t deny things can be a bit pricey here, especially alcohol. Petrol seems expensive, but is apparently one of the lowest around, seen in relation to wages. One thing that is surprisingly inexpensive, though, is clothes. Not specialized sporting wear, but everyday clothes.
Oslo restaurants aren’t really much more expensive than London or Paris. Oslo probably has a greater variety of restaurants than Stavanger, though; more tiny backstreet Vietnamese places, and so on, so it’s easier to find inexpensive options – just have to get a few blocks away from the main drag. And beer prices in Oslo vary wildly – from 6 – 20 USD for a pint. Pays to do a bit of research.
You’ll find the streets will probably be quiet for the next 10 days; almost everyone’s on Easter break, out skiing (or hiking this year, with most of the snow gone), with oranges and Kvikklunsj chocolate in their backpacks. Have you tried the chocolate-covered marzipan eggs, yet? They’ll be on half price after Easter – dangerous for the waistline
This is all great background info, Sophie, thanks. I think European prices can be quite difficult to figure out for foreigners. So much comes into play, including local wages; as a traveller it can be difficult to understand how prices can be so high yet ‘normal’ to the people who live in a place. Your comment on petrol was particularly insightful.
We’ve been trying to stay on our health kick so haven’t purchased any Easter eggs – but those chocolate-marzipan ones you mentioned sound too good! Will look out for them on our grocery shop tomorrow =)
As long as incomes make paying those prices possible, it sounds like a pretty sweet deal for you guys – earn in krone and feel rich whenever you travel elsewhere! I’ll have to save my pesos before making a visit
You and I can always barter in Chilean wine
Too expensive, in my opinion!! I spent less than a week in Norway and had a road trip From Oslo to Bergen and we ate so little to save up money! We never had a typical dinner but we grabbed food in a fast food or in Peppe’s Pizza that is a quiete cheap restuarant to have a pizza. I was so disappointed and annoyed as the had planned to visit more places and did further stuff we ddin’t make because of the high prices. It’s a shame!
That’s understandable. We had a similar experience in Ireland last year. While it’s nowhere near as expensive as Norway, prices were way more than we were expecting, especially for restaurant meals and accommodation. We skipped a lot of activities because we weren’t sure if the high admission prices would be worth it.
These are rather pricey I’m not gonna lie but I’m sure it’s worth it to see places like these. If all else always spending time outdoors always works seeing as how clean beautiful Switzerland is. Nice post!
Definitely! I think we’ll find it helpful for cutting down on our alcohol and extra food intake as well =) Looking like a very healthy place to live!
Wow! I had no idea it was that expensive! I had heard that alcohol is prohibitely expensive from some Norwegian exchange students here in Texas, but I had no idea eating out was that bad as well. I guess you’re right, if you are earning the local currency and make a decent living it would be ok. And if you plan of having kids and can take advantage of the social system, I think it all evens out in the end.
I have heard that Oslo has some more affordable restaurant options, but Stavanger is so small that they’re all pretty pricey. We’re definitely looking forward to all the money we will get back from the taxes we pay when we have a child =)
Wow, very expensive indeed! For me, a Montrealer, these are insane amounts of money considering that Montreal has a very fair standard of living and everything is pretty cheap for a North American city. I’ll be headed in Norway this October, and now I’m glad I have a few months to save up money!
Fair enough! I always say that you can never find cheaper than North America – coming from the US, it’s hard to understand how things can cost so much more in other developed countries.
Wow, that’s insanely expensive! I’m sure it’s a beautiful country, but you just gave me another reason to not want to live there. (Although really, the cold temps are enough of a reason for me!) I’d love to visit Norway sometime though. And I love that the coins have a whole in the middle
You and Andrew can always come and visit us – at least your accommodation will be taken care of =)
Wow, $50 for fajitas?! Norway is definitely a place we’d love to visit, but we’re currently having sticker shock right now after being in SE Asia, so it’ll be awhile before I think we could handle it.
Totally understandable! If you come to Stavanger you’ll have a place to stay, though =)
Ouch! Maybe not on a backpackers budget, but I’d love to still visit one day. As a flashbacker maybe. LOL. A short stay is better than no stay.
I agree. I think that sometimes with travel you just have to bite the bullet, not think about money and just do it. It’s easy to balance out costs by mixing up expensive and cheap destinations =)
Wow that sounds unbelievable!
Is it the same in Iceland? I’m keen to get out there next year at some point.. Being from the UK I think these prices are just too high to imagine!
Duncan
I’ve never been to Iceland so I can’t comment on the costs there. I’m really keen to check that country out too!
Iceland is much cheaper than Norway. I have been there. And I’m soon going back. Its a cheap country, with amazing nature, and very kind and helpful population with hospitality. I abosolutly recomend this country, its a dream on earth and its very peaceful, and safe as well.
I earn in NOK, don’t drive, have cut down on beer and cook most of my meals at home. Doing all that, I’m managing to save more in Norway than I did in the UK
Great site by the way, I’ve only just discovered you on Twitter. How are you settling in? I’m actually working on an eBook about living in Norway on a budget, perhaps you’d be interested in contributing? 
Hi David – your saving plan sounds like what we hope to do here =) We did some calculations before John accepted the job here and figured that we’d definitely save more here than in Australia as well.
We’ve been settling in great – have only been here less than a month and already have a place to live and everything – but someone missed a signature on John’s work permit application so that’s been delayed and with the Easter holidays he’s just kind of sitting around waiting for it to come through. We did things a bit backwards, haha. Anyway – don’t know enough to contribute any tips more than what you probably already know at this point, but keep in touch and good luck with your eBook! I wrote a guide about moving to Australia and it’s been doing really well as an eBook sold on our website and the Kindle store.
I have only been to Oslo and the food prices were pretty crazy. Definitely not a budget destination, but it sounds like it’s a good point in your lives to just settle into a place and maybe not dine out every night ha! I wonder if that is even possible in Norway!
Of course it is, Suzy – I’m a great cook
After eating in restaurants every day last year, the change has been really nice, as you said.
This made my tummy flop to read! I guess Norway will be reserved for the day I strike it (or marry) rich!
As we get out and travel more around the country I’m going to keep an eye out for budget options and try to post more on those.
I didn’t find Norway toooo expensive when I visited in 2006, but then again, I was living in Denmark at the time… which is just as expensive. I think I was desensitized to the prices by the time I made it to Norway though.
It’s all relative. Coming from Australia I think we crow a bit less than perhaps the US expats who come here – everything is pretty expensive in Oz so we haven’t been as shocked. I remember moving out of the States for the first time to Australia and nearly keeling over at the prices.
Great article. Wish I’d had something like this to read before my trip this past January. I was shocked to pay $18 for a house red in Oslo. Beautiful place though… I’ve got a few articles about Oslo, Klievstua, Bergen if you’re interested. Found that supermarkets and packed lunched saved us the big bucks in the couple of weeks we were there… and hitting up all the free attractions, like Frognerparken is Oslo. Thanks for sharing.
Supermarkets are definitely the way to go, in particular the ethnic shops and greengrocers around the Torggata area of downtown Oslo for fresh fruit & veg. So many visitors seem to use the Narvesen/7eleven/Deli de Luca convenience stores which are prohibitive (although not so bad for coffee!)
Having never been to Oslo, I can agree with this for Stavanger as well. Though it pays to go a little bit out of the centre to the Meny as we were not impressed with the other chain supermarkets that are right in town.
It certainly pays to be a teetotaler in Norway (we aren’t, but have seriously cut back on alcohol since we’ve been here). Will definitely check out your posts before visiting those cities, thanks! =)
Booo to the expensive prices! But still Norway is a beautiful land I want to visit …
Well. at least you have a nice place to stay =)
We are hopefully moving to Oslo this fall for my husband’s work. We are so excited, and thankful that we will have a lot of support from the company. We have 3 children 5 and under and it is already expensive for us to eat out here in Texas. I don’t think we will be eating out much while in Oslo. I am really enjoying reading your blog and all of the positives and negatives you present.
How exciting! We haven’t visited Oslo yet but I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. I’m guessing with the Texas to Norway move that your husband may work in the same industry as John =) It’s always nice to have the support and help from those big companies…good luck with your move – glad you’re finding our information helpful!
Thanks for this guys! I’m presently on the road and making my way towards Norway (aiming to be there towards the end of November). Best keep some extra cash in reserve!
We spent 2 years in Gabon which is shockingly high on the world’s most expensive places to live. (When we moved there, Libreville was #3.) We don’t find the prices to be all that different here. We find we pay more for alcohol but less for food in the grocery stores (and it’s quality is 10 times better.) We learnt a long time ago to get over the sticker shock and get on with life. We definitely try to make budget conscious choices by eating at home and cutting down on beer but we live pretty well here and are happy. It also helps that we’re here on an expat contract so our salary is upgraded to accommodate the cost of things and our housing, car & fuel are paid for.
Just got back from 4 day business trip to Kongsberg and Oslo. Coming from the U.S. I think a good budget planning benchmark for Norway is 4x what you would pay for the same item/service in the U.S. Liked the country but will probably not visit as a tourist on my own. If I want to see mountains, there are plenty in the U.S. and Canada and plenty of fiords along the B.C. Canada and Alaska coast.
I have to agree with you, Dave. I find the service to be better in those countries as well… Thanks for stopping by! =)
I’ve lived in Norway my entire life, and I’m used to the high prices. Paying NOK 399 (around $72) for a sweater at H&M and NOK 185 ($33) for a meal is normal.
But those fajitas, lord, where did you get them? 310 each is extremely expensive (!), and I live in Oslo.
Have you tried brown cheese (brunost) yet? Some like it on their bread, but i prefere it with Kornmo biscuits or porridge with a little bit of butter, sugar and cinnamon. Sounds gross, but it’s so delicious!
We live in Stavanger so the restaurants are probably a bit pricier than Oslo. Haven’t tried the brown cheese yet but it’s on my list! =)
Yeah.. I live here, and yes, it is more expensive than ( sorry for my english, I’m norwegian. ) USA, UK and Australia and so on. But the nature is beautiful! Everything is’nt bad.
Oh sure, I’m not saying everything is bad…just preparing people for the cost of living. We have found it impossible to save a lot of money since moving there and I think not everyone realizes that it’s so expensive. I think also Norwegians don’t understand that expats don’t all have generous social welfare systems in their own countries that allow them to not have to save a lot of money for things like retirement or education for their children. They think we all just come over to complain but Norwegians have a lot of things taken care of for them by the government that we as expats do not when we leave. So it is understandable that we are stressed out about saving money…
Alcohol is NOT expensive in Norway for norwegians. Its TO CHEAP compared to the avargae salary in my opinion. Russian and Ukrain and most of the other east european countries have much more expensive alcohol COMPARED to the avarage salary. Norwegians are drinking too much in my opinion, alcohol destroys alot in the peaceful society we have in Norway. I guess that most norwegians never get satisfied with the price level. We have too many party lovers and alcoholic in this country. A huge part of the population have a serious problem with alcohol. Why can’t we drink only a glass like they do in many other countries in the world? Why do we need to get drunk every time? For tourist alcohol is expensive, YES, and YES VERY, VERY expensive, BUT for us norwegians with our avargae salary its too cheap and cheaper than many other countries compared to salary. In Ukraine the alcohol looks VERY CHEAP to me, but compared to THEIR AVARGE SALARY its VERY pricey.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts here. I guess I’m of the opinion that people are inherently free and need to modify their own behaviour. I do not look to any government to tell me how to behave or put restrictions on my actions “for the good of all.” People do need to police themselves. Just a difference in culture and expectations I suppose, hence our feeling that “sin taxes” aren’t agreeable.
im curious to know in what norway do you live that norwegians dont find their own alcohol expensive? i know the norway i live in has its own citizens pining over the fact that their alcohol is outrageously expensive. and for what reason? so they can have ‘free healthcare’ that is inadequate or mothers can get their years off after having a kid?
i think if the government imposed less regulations on alcohol and gave their citizens the freedom to make their own decisions you may see a difference in maturity levels with alcohol. granted, this would not happen overnight, but over a generation or two…sure. i do agree with you that people here drink themselves silly…but what do you expect from a land where the government closes establishments on sundays and rewards the rich by taxing them at a ridiculously high rate (again, so that people can all have inadequate healthcare)?
it is funny that you make note of the fact that norwegians dont find their alcohol expensive. in all do respect…as a foreigner living in the country, i know that skilled jobs in norway don’t pay necessarily better or as well as other developed lands. sure…jobs working at mcdonald’s do, but that job at mcdonald’s won’t allow someone the freedom to hit up a bar every weekend and drink at their own leisure. and can a person really compare norway to ukraine in terms of affordability??? different countries completely. if norwegians found their alcohol to be ‘so affordable’, then what is this pre-game shit they all do before going to the bars. this is done because people can’t afford to drink at the bars all night. im pretty sure the government doesn’t account for the fact that money spent at bars would ultimately end up back in their own hands…but i digress.
and after all that being said, can you really blame a norwegian for wanting to get piss drunk every weekend? as i walk past piles of vomit on the streets every weekend and want to complain, i reassure myself that i would be doing the same thing…if i could afford the alcohol here.
Well? I think if the alcohol was more expensive, it would not make a big different. Because pary lovers will be party lovers, it would just make most of the party people more poor if the price became higher. I think alcohol is expensive in Norway COMPARED to food and soft drinks (like orange juice and coca-cola), and I have less rich than the avarage norwegian, I’m not poor, I have all I need, but I have many expenses, and my salary after tax is about 1.750 EURO (I don’t work fulltime), and even I think the alcohol its to cheap to buy alcohol here. I have been in Ukraine alot of times, and their local beer is about 1,7 or 2 EURO, and their local wine is about 10 (1 bottle) EURO and their local vodka is about 20 EURO, this is the supermarked price, and imported alcohol is about the double price, and if you wanna go to a bar or a resturant (the cheapest and most simples ones) to drink a beer it will be about 5 EURO, and wine (a glas) 7 EURO. In Norway the AVARGE salary is AT LEAST 2.700 EURO (maybe even more), in Ukraine is about 175 EURO. But as in all countries many people have less/more than avarage salary. This apply Ukraine, Norway and the rest of the world. All people are individuals in the world, but it seems very typical to complain about the alcohol prices in Norway no matter how cheap it is. You know for NORWEGIANS alcohol is much cheaper in Ukraine than in Norway, but some ukrainians told me ones that “I wish I lived in Norway, with a norwegian salary, because than I could drink alcohol more ofthen than I do now, because with my ukrainian salary in Ukraine, the alcohol is for overpriced”. My personal opinion when I heard this, was that I did not liked the fact that thouse ukrainians wish they could drink more, but I realised that I live in a country with cheap alcohol, and I personally don’t like it, some people agree with me, but not so many, but I respect all opinions and I wanna be friend with all kind of people even whatever opinions they may have about alcohol prices.
completely understood and i am sure many ukrainians wish they lived in norway where salaries are higher and the standards of living are higher. but fortunately for those alcoholics in ukraine…they can actually find cheaper beers than 2euros. i know i did when i traveled there. i never paid more than 80cents (USD) for a beer at a bar. and beer at grocery stores or convenience shops was even cheaper. not saying that those prices are cheap to a ukrainian because they are not. but i think that life in norway and ukraine is drastically different and the countries are in different steps of their life and a comparison is really not necessarily.
my point is that alcohol is quite expensive here in norway if you think about it. salaries for someone with education is quite in line with an american for example…and a beer in the US is significantly cheaper than here in norway. and americans have more respect for alcohol than a norwegian. and the reason the alcohol is expensive here is because the government taxes it to be that way. and where do those taxes go? id really love to know because it hardly goes into the healthcare here. or roads. every single norwegian i know (even ones that make over 1 million kr per year) says they cant afford to just do social hour at the bar a few times a week because of the prices of the alcohol. sure, they could dedicate all money to their drinking habits, but they dont have the $$ to do so. and while most norwegians will claim ‘but we make more money than other countries’, norway sits right in the middle, not the top, of the disposable income charts. meaning that after taxes, norwegians have wayyyyy less money to spend than many other developed countries.
trust me, i wish drinking habits here would change. im sick of seeing public vomit scenes (again, a sight i NEVER saw in the US) every weekend and seeing men get in fights with women at bars. but i think raising the prices of alcohol is not going to be the thing to change these instances.
Hello, again. Well, I guess it has been a while since you was in Ukraine. Its the prices have changed ALOT the last years there, on cost of living, and so has the salary, but their economic situation have not change, the salary have become higher, but so have the cost of living, so thouse prices on alcohol you told me about here is not possible to find now in 2013 in Ukraine. When I was there first time, it was even cheaper than 80 cents (USD), but it have changed radically the last years, and the taxes on alcohol have also become higher the last years. Well, when it comes to tourism in Norway, alcohol is expensive compared to the salary of most tourists, because its not many countries in the world that is as pricey as Norway, but pricey and expensive is not necessarily alway the same thing, because most of the forengers that have move to norway, settled permanently, got norwegian job and norwegian salary are suprised that the alcohol here is so cheap compared to the avarage salary, because that is something that they are not used to in their homelands, so I have to admid that you are the first forenger (except tourists) that I ever have heard about saying that you think that the alcohol is expensive in Norway. I know that norwegians think so, because they never gets satisfied no matter how cheap its going to be, they will always complain. Party lovers in Norway dosn’t know how lucky they are with thouse low prices, I don’t say we are cheapes in world compared to the salary, but al least one of the cheapest in world.
I suspect this “Norwegian” is either very bored or one of the lucky ones who earns over NOK 1m. Alcohol is expensive in Norway compared to the salaries (OUTSIDE the oil and gas industry) – there is no doubt. Just look at the clamour for the duty free every time a flight of Norwegians arrives into OSL, or the traffic towards Sweden on a Saturday morning. Using one very unique example (Ukraine) does not an argument make
My salary is about something like 1750 EURO after tax, I don’t call that a very high salary, but I still think the alcohol here is very cheap, and many forengers that lives in Norway agree with me, but of course I don’t know the opinion of all forengers, because I’m talking about alcohol with every human I meet. I’m not suprised that norwegians are buying alcohol at duty free’s or abroad, becuase there its cheaper for them, and like I say most norwegians never gets satisfied, because they are party lover of extreme many of them, so they buy it cheaper places if they have the opportunity
Finally someone that understanding it. Alcohol is cheap here compared to avarage salary. I have even less than avarage, and for me the alcohol here in Norway is cheap. If I was living in for exemple the baltic countries on a avarage salary there I could not aford alcohol often. I don’t drink often in Norway either, but that is by choise, not because it to expensive. I tell you norwegians one thing and that is, you don’t know how lucy you are, Norway is a drinking paradice for norwegians with norwegian salary. It may looks very cheap in baltic countries, BUT they have MUCH lower avarage salary, so for THEM its EXPENSIVE. I am from Norway. And I live here and FOR ME alcohol is always cheaper when I am in other countries, BUT that is because most countries are not as rich as Norway, so everything are cheaper, but for the people that lives in thouse countries its much more expensive for them in their countries compared to us in our country with OUR salary. I don’t see why there comes so many foreigners workeres here if they think their cost of living are soooo low in their own country. This just shows that Norway is cheap to live in with norwegian salary
I think most foreigners come to Norway for one of three reasons: 1. They are sent here by their companies and are given great expat salaries where their housing and car are paid for. Therefore, they have a higher disposable income. 2. Refugee or better political/safety circumstances than in their home country OR 3. (we fall into this category) Salaries look good on paper but they have no real knowledge of the costs involved in living here.
I assure you that you will find very few foreigners who moved to Norway because of the cost of living. Alcohol isn’t everything =)
“Party lovers” I mean, sorry I write wrong in my last comment
I remember friends telling me Norway was incredibly expensive. Yikes they were right. I will have to read some of your past posts. I havent checked back in a while. I wonder how you are doing with winter. I am in budapest and I am so over the cold already.
Great to hear from you Lisa! I don’t spend too much time outdoors but the cold hasn’t really bothered me – I have learned how to dress for it and I think that’s half the battle. Could use some more sunlight though…and I do miss going outside for exercise – it’s too icy here to get a good fast walking pace going (or it’s raining)…
So yeah…Norway is expensive and I’m just realizing how expensive. I think I’m going to be offered a job in Starvanger that will pay just under 400,000 NOK a year. I won’t have to pay taxes for two years. Is this a good salary? Will I be able to save, travel, and live comfortably?
Just responded to your email privately, Eddie – cheers!
Yes you will. 400,000 NOK is a ok starterearning, but if you get a familiy you need a husband in work too. haha
I realize this is an older post, but I just stumbled upon your blog. I lived in Stavanger for two years (and miss it terribly). It took me ages to get over converting Norwegian currency to American in my head and practically fainting at the thought of how much I was spending. So yeah….it was expensive.
Glad I found your blog – I shall continue reading! Hope you continue to adore Norway!
Ah yes, the conversions still stump me…I’ve been dividing by six!
Well, I live in Norway in a place called Bærum outside Oslo. And yes, it is insanely expensive. That being said, our earnings is pretty good. I earn about 14,300 Euros every month. When i travel to places like Germany, Sweden, Denmark, UK, US or Switzerland I always buys alot of meat and alchohol because the prices if that here is very high. (I travel alot to Sweden becuase it is “cheap”) I rarely go out to eat, because it gets too expensive for a familiy of four.
Norway is ranged as the best country to live in, so even tho the prices is high, we are doing pretty good. Haha.
The fjords is amazing and the mountains is beautiful. Definitely worth visiting, but I guess your wallet should get prepared if you live anywhere else than Denmark, Sweden, Austraila and Switzerland. (and some other places of course)
We definitely cash in when we go travelling out of Norway as well.
Everyone always talks about the high salaries but we really haven’t found them to be competitive considering the cost of living…I think possibly the wages for jobs in service are higher than elsewhere but professional salaries are lower than one would expect. I need to really look at a list of salary averages to figure that out…
How about this situation? I am planning on visiting Norway and have very close friends with who have offered me to stay a couple of days with them (they live in Haugesund) what will be the main costs to keep an eye out for? (transportation from Oslo to Haugesund, ways to eat out without jeopardizing your wallet, etc)
You’ll save heaps of money having a place to stay. I’m not familiar with Haugesund, sorry, but the cheapest way to eat in Norway is to cook for yourself! =)
Dear John and Andrea,
It’s Friday evening and I found nothing to do (kinda sad, eh?) but looking up for stuffs to do for my trip in Norway in October. Never thought such amazing blog exists! I really love how you put all these together, not just Norway — but everything you’ve done and everywhere you’ve been.
It is true that Stavanger is more expensive than Oslo in a sense. People said it is because of its main role as one of oil and gas industry hubs in Europe (mainly North Sea) apart from Aberdeen. My friends did mention how hard and expensive it is to get a flat (apartment for American and Australian, of course). I will be in Stavanger for 2 weeks this October/November for company training. I am also an engineer. I work for an oil and gas construction company.
Again, I really love this blog. I have always thought of making one like this — but work and laziness always keep me away from doing it. I should start doing it as Norway will be my 11th country. I love traveling, John. I am in love with it. Without traveling, I would have not met my girlfriend as well. You story reminds me of myself about 6-7 years ago when I first met my girlfriend in Thailand (I am originally from Cambodia).
I do hope I get to meet you guys in person. It would be such an honour. If I don’t get to see you in Norway, if you ever end up in the Scotland, you have me to show you around!
With regards,
Vit
Thanks so much for your wonderful compliments, Vit! It is certainly great to have a blog – helps us meet lots of amazing people and it is always fun to document our adventures…
Hi,
I am from India and coming for masters in norway ..
I need some info and shall be thankful if someone can guide me with your contact email
cheers
Hi Mark – you can email us on info AT inspiringtravellers DOT com
Hi shall be thankful if someone guides me for useful weblinks in norway for , online shopping grocery, books, clothes etc
Hi Mark – I find the easiset way to find online shopping outlets in Norway is to enter the product name or what you are looking for into a search engine (in Norwegian, just use Google Translate) and lots will come up…I don’t have any links to the shops
Hi ,I am going as a student to norway ..I shall be thankful if you can guide for
1:- Hostels available across norway –websites etc
2:- on what purchases student discounts are available
Hi Mark, I’m sorry but we don’t have that information. Have you tried Hostelbookers, Hostelworld or IHA? I’m sure the hostels can also advise you on student discounts. We have not been students for quite some time. Good luck!
Hi !
Alcohol and cigarettes are extremly expencive in Norway.Premium 20 are 91.10 NOK a pack 20 cigarettes. In the supermarkets you must pay 19-35 NOK kr pr. 0.5L. The air is fresh and free of charge..Hapyy holiday to all of you
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