Whether you are moving to Norway to work, for studies or just for a holiday, you will need to think about the cost of living in the country. Norway is ranked as one of the most expensive countries to live in. Expenses are very high when it comes to food, accommodation and other costs of living. This is probably the reason that Norwegian immigration control is very strict about making sure you can sustain yourself financially in the country before allowing you to go there. The prices also have to be seen in connection with the salary growth.

Food expenses in Norway are about 50% higher than the EU average. A liter of milk in Norway will set you back by about 2 USD while a Kilo of apples costs about 4 USD. For those who take alcohol, the prices of beer and wine in Norway can be quite prohibitive. A pint of beer will cost about 9 USD in clubs. You can save on your alcohol expenses by shopping in supermarkets and drinking at home. Wining and dining in Norwegian restaurants is also quite expensive. Fast food meals range from 9 USD while meals in fancy restaurants may cost more than 36 USD per person. Food costs for a family of eight people are in the range of 1000 USD.

Income taxes are also very high. Furthermore, there are 25% goods and services taxes, about 70% gasoline taxes and 100% taxes on new cars.   If you are moving to Norway to work at least you can take some assurance from the salary levels. The pay in Norway is better than in most countries and you should be able to live on what you make from your job. There is the added advantage that working in Norway makes you eligible for some support from the government in terms of healthcare and education of your children. Education in public schools is free and of a very high quality. You will also be entitled to a doctor for you and your family. The Norwegian welfare state is one of the best in the entire world.

If you are a student going to Norway for your studies, you will require about 1500 USD per month to be able to live comfortably in Norway. This does not include the cost of tuition. Fortunately, higher education in Norway may be free depending on where you are coming from and there are a wide variety of scholarships and grants that may offset your living expenses. You are also allowed to work part time in Norway while you study and you can use this to get some extra cash for paying for your day to day expenses. If you are planning to sponsor your stay in Norway yourself, you will need to prove to the authorities that you can cover your expenses for your period of study before they can grant you the residence permit.

Before moving to Norway, take time to work out your planned expenditure carefully and in great detail. In this country you will definitely need all the financial discipline you can muster. It is advisable that you have at least three months expenses ready to give you time to adjust to the financial situation in Norway. You can also take up extra work in your free time to get a side income. While Norway is expensive, it offers great opportunity to those that are ready to grab it.

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Prices in Norway
written by Elusive Moose, February 15, 2010

Useful info on what you can expect to pay for things in Norway (what's the price of a stamp/liter of petrol/cinema ticket/bottle of wine/meal for 2/etc?) http://www.elusivemoose.eu/201...in-norway/

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