Moving to Norway from Finland

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Finland to Norway? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Finland to Norway, you would find that Norway is 20.0% more expensive than Finland overall. A €64,304 salary in Finland would need to be roughly NOK826,366 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?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Finland and Norway.

What does your salary buy?

€64,304 NOK826,366

To maintain the same standard of living in Norway

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 27.9% more

Groceries

pay 34.3% more

Transportation

pay 6.3% more

Housing

pay 66.1% more

Childcare

pay 16.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 12.8% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 10.79 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?

What the data shows about people moving from Finland to Norway.

Moved in 2023
428 ↓ 7% vs 2022

people moved from Finland 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

The numbers behind daily life in Norway compared to Finland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

FI
1.2
NO
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

FI
4.2
NO
1.5

Norway performs significantly better than Finland across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

FI
$6,433
NO
$9,523
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

FI
43.8
NO
51.7

Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

FI
7.0
NO
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

FI
5.5t
NO
7.2t

Finland performs better than Norway across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

FI
34.5
NO
45.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

FI
7.1%
NO
2.0%

Norway performs significantly better than Finland across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

FI
7.2%
NO
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

FI
$57,500
NO
$90,500

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

FI
81.8 yrs
NO
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

FI
2.1
NO
2.3

Finland generally does better on family life, though Norway leads in life expectancy.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Helsinki Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Helsinki Oslo
Jan–Mar 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) 59°/43°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) 66°/51°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Helsinki Oslo
Jan 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C)
Feb 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C)
Mar 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C)
Apr 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C)
May 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C)
Jun 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C)
Aug 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C)
Sep 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C)
Oct 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C)
Nov 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C)
Dec 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C)

Data: Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Meteorological Institute, Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Finland 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.

Finland passport

Finland passport holder visiting Norway

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

Norway passport holder visiting Finland

Visa Free
Norway passport holders can enter Finland 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 Finland?

On average Norway is around 19% pricier than Finland, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Norway?

Budget about NOK206,592 for 3 months in Norway (based on a €64,304 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Norway?

Connectivity is usually fine (Norway: 45.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Norway offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Norway safe for expats?

Norway performs significantly better than Finland across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.2 in Finland.

How is healthcare in Norway compared to Finland?

Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 51.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Norway, compared to 43.8 in Finland. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Finland: 86).

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

The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 48°F in Helsinki. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Helsinki gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in Norway?

The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In Finland, the official languages are Finnish and Swedish.

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At a Glance

FI NO
Population 5,601,547 5,553,840
Currency Euro (€) Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Languages Finnish, Swedish Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +358 +47
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112