Moving to Norway from Lesotho

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Lesotho to Norway, 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 Maseru, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2022
2 ↑ 100% vs 2021

people moved from Lesotho 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 Lesotho 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

LS
37.7
NO
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LS
21.6
NO
1.5

Norway performs significantly better than Lesotho across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LS
$386
NO
$9,523
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

LS
1.5
NO
51.7

Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Lesotho 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

LS
100.0
NO
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LS
0.4t
NO
7.2t

Lesotho 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

LS
0.4
NO
45.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LS
2.6%
NO
2.0%

Norway performs significantly better than Lesotho across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LS
16.5%
NO
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LS
$2,500
NO
$90,500

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LS
59.6 yrs
NO
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LS
48.4
NO
2.3

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

Data: Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Maseru Rain: 25.3 in/yr (642 mm)
74° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Maseru Oslo
Jan–Mar 81°/57°F (27°/14°C) 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 67°/39°F (20°/4°C) 59°/43°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 68°/37°F (20°/3°C) 66°/51°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Maseru Oslo
Jan 84°/59°F (28.7°/14.8°C) 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C)
Feb 82°/58°F (27.6°/14.6°C) 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C)
Mar 78°/54°F (25.7°/12.5°C) 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C)
Apr 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C)
May 67°/39°F (19.7°/3.7°C) 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C)
Jun 62°/32°F (16.7°/0.2°C) 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 62°/31°F (16.9°/-0.5°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C)
Aug 67°/36°F (19.7°/2.4°C) 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C)
Sep 74°/44°F (23.3°/6.9°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C)
Oct 77°/50°F (24.8°/10.1°C) 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C)
Nov 79°/53°F (26.3°/11.9°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C)
Dec 82°/56°F (27.9°/13.4°C) 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C)

Data: Lesotho Meteorological Services Lesotho Meteorological Services, Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Lesotho 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.

Lesotho passport

Lesotho passport holder visiting Norway

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

Norway passport holder visiting Lesotho

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

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 Lesotho and Norway.

Is Norway safe for expats?

Norway performs significantly better than Lesotho across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 37.7 in Lesotho.

How is healthcare in Norway compared to Lesotho?

Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Lesotho leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 51.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Norway, compared to 1.5 in Lesotho. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Lesotho: 53).

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

The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 74°F in Maseru. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Maseru gets 25.3 in.

What language do they speak in Norway?

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

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At a Glance

LS NO
Population 2,193,970 5,553,840
Currency Lesotho Loti (LSL) Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Languages English, Sotho Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +266 +47
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112