Moving to Norway from Greece

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Greece to Norway, you would find that Norway is 51.0% more expensive than Greece overall. A €65,577 salary in Greece would need to be roughly NOK1,012,811 in Norway to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Oslo averages 49°F vs 72°F in Athens, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 NOK1,012,811

To maintain the same standard of living in Norway

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.0 times more

Groceries

pay 59.4% more

Transportation

pay 35.2% more

Housing

pay 64.7% more

Childcare

pay 0.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 75.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 11.03 NOK (July 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.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Norway cost about 45% more than cities in Greece.

Greece

Corfu 46%
Kavala 40%

Norway

Oslo 73%
Haugesund 64%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
684 ↓ 6% vs 2022

people moved from Greece 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 Greece.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

GR
1.1
NO
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GR
7.3
NO
1.5

Norway performs significantly better than Greece across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GR
$3,454
NO
$9,523
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

GR
63.7
NO
51.7

Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GR
23.0
NO
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GR
5.0t
NO
7.2t

Greece 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

GR
43.0
NO
45.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GR
20.7%
NO
2.0%

Norway performs significantly better than Greece across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GR
11.0%
NO
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GR
$36,300
NO
$90,500

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GR
81.5 yrs
NO
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GR
3.5
NO
2.3

Norway performs significantly better than Greece across all family life metrics.

Data: GSIS, Greece, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Athens Rain: 16.3 in/yr (414 mm)
72° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Athens Oslo
Jan–Mar 57°/42°F (14°/6°C) 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/57°F (26°/14°C) 59°/43°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/67°F (32°/20°C) 66°/51°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Athens Oslo
Jan 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C) 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C)
Feb 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C) 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C)
Mar 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C) 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C)
Apr 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C)
May 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C) 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C)
Jun 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C) 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C)
Aug 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C)
Sep 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C)
Oct 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C)
Nov 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C)
Dec 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C) 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C)

Data: Hellenic National Meteorological Service Hellenic National Meteorological Service, Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Greece 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.

Greece passport

Greece passport holder visiting Norway

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

Norway passport holder visiting Greece

Visa Free
Norway passport holders can enter Greece 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 Greece?

On average Norway is around 40% pricier than Greece, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Norway?

Budget about NOK253,203 for 3 months in Norway (based on a €65,577 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and 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 Greece across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Greece.

How is healthcare in Norway compared to Greece?

Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in health coverage index. There are 51.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Norway, compared to 63.7 in Greece. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Greece: 77).

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

The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 72°F in Athens. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Athens gets 16.3 in.

What language do they speak in Norway?

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

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At a Glance

GR NO
Population 10,533,871 5,553,840
Currency Euro (€) Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Languages Greek Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +30 +47
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112