Moving to Norway from Japan
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Japan to Norway — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Japan to Norway, you would find that Norway is 96.0% more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly NOK1,400,000 in Norway to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Oslo averages 49°F vs 69°F in Tokyo, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Norway cheaper than Japan?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 3.3 times more
Groceries
pay 40.6% more
Transportation
pay 74.0% more
Housing
pay 2.5 times more
Childcare
pay 27.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 95.1% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Norway?
What does your salary buy?
¥12,000,000 → NOK1,400,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Norway
Calculate with your salary →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 80% more than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Norway
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Japan to Norway, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Japan and Norway stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Japan generally does better on safety, though Norway leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Norway performs significantly better than Japan across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Norway performs significantly better than Japan across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Norway generally does better on employment & economy, though Japan leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Japan generally does better on family life, though Norway leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), Norwegian Tax Administration (2017), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this
Weather in Norway vs Japan
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tokyo | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
Norwegian Meteorological Institute
Can you move from Japan to Norway?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting Norway
Visa Free
Norway passport holder visiting Japan
Visa FreeData: 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 Japan?
Day-to-day costs in Norway run about 96% higher than Japan on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Norway?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ¥12,000,000 comparable salary, that's around NOK350,000 in Norway for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Norway?
With 45.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Norway can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Japan and Norway.
Is Norway safe for expats?
Japan generally does better on safety, though Norway leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan.
How is healthcare in Norway compared to Japan?
Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 49.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Norway, compared to 26.5 in Japan. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Norway compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Norway?
The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
