Moving to Norway from Kenya

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Kenya to Norway — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Kenya to Norway, you would find that Norway is 3.5 times more expensive than Kenya overall. A KES9,705,750 salary in Kenya would need to be roughly NOK1,986,039 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 74°F in Nairobi, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Kenya to Norway.

What does your salary buy?

KES9,705,750 NOK1,986,039

To maintain the same standard of living in Norway

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 5.1 times more

Groceries

pay 3.1 times more

Transportation

pay 96.1% more

Housing

pay 5.4 times more

Childcare

pay 42.5% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.4 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 KES = 0.0715 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.

Get free moving quotes to Norway

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Kenya to Norway, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
127 ↑ 6% vs 2022

people moved from Kenya 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

How Kenya and Norway stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

KE
4.9
NO
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KE
28.2
NO
1.5

Norway performs significantly better than Kenya across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

KE
$274
NO
$9,523
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

KE
1.0
NO
51.7

Kenya 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

KE
33.0
NO
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KE
0.4t
NO
7.2t

Kenya 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

KE
1.9
NO
45.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KE
33.2%
NO
2.0%

Norway performs significantly better than Kenya across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

KE
5.7%
NO
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KE
$5,700
NO
$90,500

Norway generally does better on employment & economy, though Kenya leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

KE
69.7 yrs
NO
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KE
27.9
NO
2.3

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

Data: Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Nairobi Rain: 40.3 in/yr (1024 mm)
74° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Nairobi Oslo
Jan–Mar 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) 59°/43°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) 66°/51°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Nairobi Oslo
Jan 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C)
Feb 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C)
Mar 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C)
Apr 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C)
May 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C)
Jun 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C)
Aug 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C)
Sep 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C)
Oct 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C)
Nov 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C)
Dec 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C)

Data: Kenya Meteorological Department Kenya Meteorological Department, Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kenya 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.

Kenya passport

Kenya passport holder visiting Norway

Visa Required
Kenya passport holders need a visa to enter Norway.
Norway passport

Norway passport holder visiting Kenya

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Norway passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Kenya.

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 Kenya?

Day-to-day costs in Norway run about 186% higher than Kenya 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 KES9,705,750 comparable salary, that's around NOK496,510 in Norway for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Norway?

With 45.9 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 Kenya and Norway.

Is Norway safe for expats?

Norway performs significantly better than Kenya across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.9 in Kenya.

How is healthcare in Norway compared to Kenya?

Kenya 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 1.0 in Kenya. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kenya: 53).

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

The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 74°F in Nairobi. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Nairobi gets 40.3 in.

What language do they speak in Norway?

The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In Kenya, the official languages are English and Swahili.

Share this

At a Glance

KE NO
Population 55,864,655 5,553,840
Currency Kenyan Shilling (KES) Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Languages English, Swahili Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +254 +47
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 112