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Norway's most expensive cities

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Priscilla

Hello everyone,

What are the most expensive cities to live in Norway? What are the costs of things such as rent, utilities, weekly groceries, dining out, etc.?

What is the lifestyle like in these cities, for expats and locals?

What are the different neighbourhoods like? Are there more affordable areas?

Do you have any experience living in any of Norway's most expensive cities? What was it like?

Which cities in Norway would you recommend? Are there any that offer particularly good value for money when it comes to cost of living?

Thank you for sharing your experience.

Priscilla

See also

Living in Norway: the expat guideHow to use DUF number for tracking my visa status on my own?Traveling while awaiting family reunification permitHow can I immigrate to Norway?Would being an autistic woman prevent me from moving to Norway?
Ahmed Abdul-Gawad

Generally speaking the southern part in Norway is more expensive than north. I guess that Oslo is the most expensive city !!

Geira

The most expensive cities in Norway is Oslo (by far) and then Bergen, Stavanger and Trondheim.

I've worked and lived in Oslo for a year. It's probably the best city to get new friends. Oslo is kind of a multicultural city with lots of options in people and activities. It's also easier for foreigners to get a job, even if they don't speak much norwegian. But Oslo is expensive in almost every way. Rental cost is normally $1000 and upwards a month. Smaller cities are cheaper but also more difficult to make friends. Norwegians tends to be a bit inwards.

Prisca Faergen

Am planning to move to Norway soon. Am just wondering, if rent is $1000 upwards which seems quite on the high side. How do people manage? Whats the average salary? Lets say for IT support because thats my profession. @Geira

nytt in norge

I currently live in the north, in a rather small town so most probably the cost of living is not as high as it in in Oslo or Bergen or Stavanger.

Norway is generally an expensive place to live but as with any city, you can choose to live cheaply or expensively. I lived in Singapore and Hong Kong which are also expensive cities so I know it's always based on how you chose to live your lifestyle. For example, if you always want to eat out or drink or go to clubs, then perhaps that lifestyle is expensive. But you can also have fun by enjoying nature which is free.

Also even if everything is "expensive" there are other things that you do not pay for because you already paid for it in taxes so it kinda balances out in my opinion.  :)

alina4384

Hi, I cannot give you a direct answer but I can give you some helpful sites to give you an idea how much is the cost for renting and how much the salaries are in general:

for renting

finn


for IT

IT


A lil help of google translate must be handy too :)
When I was new here in Norge, I did all the research online as well. Hope it helps!

Prisca Faergen

Hi Alina, I have gone through the salary website and it gives very detailed information. I have been able to find exactly which careeer I wanted to check out. It seems men are paid a bit higher 😉😉😉.

The rent website I will have to go through it later on because it contains lots of helpful information. I really appreciate your help😊😊

alina4384

You’re welcome! Lykke til!

Geira

Hi, Prisca

Yes, it's expensive in Norway, and especially in Oslo, which is considered one of the most expensive city in the world.

But, the salaries in Norway is also quite high (yet income taxes normally starting as high as 35%). For 2016 the average salary was about 43000 Kr ($5500). Jobs within IT may be higher than this, but is very related to your level of education. You should at least have a bachelor degree.

As some has mentioned already, try Google as much as you can. A lot of information is available in English as well.

Good luck :)

Wikipedia about Norway
NAV, a official site about jobs and more
An official guide to work in Norway

Geira

Prisca Faergen wrote:

It seems men are paid a bit higher 😉😉😉.


There is actually illegal  to pay different just based on gender. The reason it still looks like there are a difference is because women more often spend more time raising children and less time chasing careers like men do.

(Not being wrong either being home witch children or chasing careers ;)

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