Cost of Living in Norway

Norway ranks 10th most expensive place to live in for expats, but the good news is that the good salary and the assurance of good governance make living in Norway worthwhile.

Housing

Housing in Norway can be expensive. Expect to pay between 59,656.20 - 320.00 kr for a flat per month. A small studio-type apartment starts at 4,500 NOK.

Check that the house you choose is equipped with quality heating in all rooms due to the typically cold climate. The heating bill and use of wood stoves and/or fireplaces add to the monthly expenses, especially if you live inland.

Just like any other country in the world, rent in or near the city is costly. However, if you are open to room sharing, you can ask around for the nearest housing co-operatives. Another option is to reside outside the city but make sure that public transportation is available in the area. In rural areas, you can offer home renovation for reduced rent.

"Many small things are double, second hand cars are triple and some everyday stuff is about the same. Overall, I recon it’s about 25% more expensive here."- Ian Anderson, Expat in Norway

Buying Property

Owning a house in Norway be costly a fortune. Worse still, prices continue to increase. But even if the prices are high, you can trust that Norwegian houses, aside from being well insulated and heated, are exceptionally well constructed, hence, inexpensive housing is scarce. Norwegian banks offer housing loans.

"The cost of living in Norway is significantly higher than where I was last living in the U.S. (Idaho).  But then, the wages one makes here are also much more than in Idaho."- Gunnar Skollingsberg, Expat in Norway 

You can visit property websites, or advertise that you are house hunting in local newspapers like Aftenposten or get hold of a lawyer or estate agents. Note that estate agents will charge a portion of your housing payment as their fee. The Norwegian Yellow Pages is a good place to start - just look for the term Eiendomsmegling or "real estate" in English.

The Norwegian Association of Real Estate Agents also publishes a booklet in English, which provides useful information on the house-buying process. 

Transportation

Citizens from EEA countries may use their driving license issued in their home country until its validity date and may then replace it with a Norwegian one if they please. However, non-EEA nationals may use their local driving license for a year only, after which they are required to undergo a driving test to attain a Norwegian license that is valid for up to four years.

For public transportation, expats can contact NOR-WAY Bussekspress AS for route schedules and bus seat reservations and Norwegian State Railways for rail passes. Make sure to grab the official Rutehefte for extensive details about public transportation in Norway, including maps of all bus, train, ferry and air routes.

Taxi fares are metered; the rate is NOK 10.20 per kilometer for the first 10 kilometers. Taxis can be either hailed from their assigned ranks or booked in advance via telephone, but never flagged down on the street.

Car and bicycle rental is costly; bicycles can be rented for 24 hours for 60 NOK. With Norway's low-speed limits, unpleasant roads, fuel and parking costs, it makes sense to use public transportation instead.