Moving to Norway from Denmark

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Denmark to Norway — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Denmark to Norway, you would find that Norway is 3.5% cheaper than Denmark overall. A DKK486,510 salary in Denmark would need to be roughly NOK673,376 in Norway to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Denmark to Norway.

What does your salary buy?

DKK486,510 NOK673,376

To maintain the same standard of living in Norway

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 6.5% less

Groceries

pay 0.5% less

Transportation

pay 13.7% less

Housing

pay 14.8% more

Childcare

pay 24.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 13.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 DKK = 1.46 NOK (June 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Denmark to Norway, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
1,039 ↓ 10% vs 2022

people moved from Denmark to Norway · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Norway?

Top countries of origin for Norway's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Denmark to Norway.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

DK
1.0
NO
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

DK
2.3
NO
1.5

Norway performs significantly better than Denmark across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

DK
$7,262
NO
$9,523
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

DK
43.8
NO
51.7

Denmark generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

DK
13.0
NO
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

DK
4.3t
NO
7.2t

Denmark generally does better on environment, though Norway leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

DK
45.0
NO
45.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

DK
26.4%
NO
2.0%

Norway performs significantly better than Denmark across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

DK
5.1%
NO
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

DK
$72,000
NO
$90,500

Norway performs significantly better than Denmark across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

DK
81.7 yrs
NO
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

DK
3.0
NO
2.3

Norway generally does better on family life, though Denmark leads in education spending.

Data: Danish Central Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Copenhagen Rain: 20.7 in/yr (525 mm)
52° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Oslo Rain: 30.0 in/yr (763 mm)
49° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Copenhagen Oslo
Jan–Mar 38°/29°F (3°/-2°C) 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 58°/44°F (15°/7°C) 59°/43°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/53°F (19°/12°C) 66°/51°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 46°/37°F (8°/3°C) 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Copenhagen Oslo
Jan 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C) 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C)
Feb 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C) 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C)
Mar 41°/30°F (5.0°/-1.0°C) 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C)
Apr 50°/36°F (10.0°/2.0°C) 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C)
May 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.0°C) 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C)
Jun 66°/52°F (19.0°/11.0°C) 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C)
Aug 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C) 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C)
Sep 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.0°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C)
Oct 54°/45°F (12.0°/7.0°C) 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C)
Nov 45°/37°F (7.0°/3.0°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C)
Dec 39°/30°F (4.0°/-1.0°C) 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C)

Data: Danish Meteorological Institute Danish Meteorological Institute, Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Denmark and Norway. To live, work, or study long-term in Norway, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Norway's immigration authority.

Denmark passport

Denmark passport holder visiting Norway

Visa Free
Denmark passport holders can enter Norway without a visa.
Norway passport

Norway passport holder visiting Denmark

Visa Free
Norway passport holders can enter Denmark without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Norway than Denmark?

Yes — Norway is on average about 5% cheaper than Denmark. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Norway?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NOK168,344 in Norway on a DKK486,510 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Norway?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Norway has 45.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Norway safe for expats?

Norway performs significantly better than Denmark across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in Denmark.

How is healthcare in Norway compared to Denmark?

Denmark generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 51.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Norway, compared to 43.8 in Denmark. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Denmark: 82).

What's the weather like in Norway compared to Denmark?

The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 52°F in Copenhagen. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Copenhagen gets 20.7 in.

What language do they speak in Norway?

The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In Denmark, the official language is Danish.

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At a Glance

DK NO
Population 5,920,767 5,553,840
Currency Danish Krone (DKK) Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Languages Danish Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +45 +47
Time zones 5 1
Emergency number 112 112