Moving to Norway from New York
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New York to Norway — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New York to Norway, you would find that Norway is 1.5% more expensive than New York. A $75,000 salary in New York would need to be roughly NOK742,251 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?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from New York to Norway.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → NOK742,251
To maintain the same standard of living in Norway
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 26.2% more
Groceries
pay 5.5% less
Transportation
pay 36.2% more
Housing
pay 19.0% less
Childcare
pay 73.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 9.8% 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.
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 10% less than cities in New York.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from New York to Norway, based on official data.
people moved from United States to Norway · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New York to Norway.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Norway performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Norway performs significantly better than New York across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Norway generally does better on employment & economy, though New York leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Norway performs significantly better than New York across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Albany | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C) | 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) | 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/58°F (26°/14°C) | 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Albany | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C) | 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) |
| Feb | 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C) | 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) |
| Mar | 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C) | 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) |
| Apr | 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C) | 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) |
| May | 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C) | 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) |
| Jun | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C) | 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) |
| Aug | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C) | 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) |
| Sep | 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C) | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C) | 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C) | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Dec | 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°C) | 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Norwegian Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Norway
Visa Free
Norway passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 New York?
Costs in Norway and New York are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.
How much money do I need to move to Norway?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NOK185,563 in Norway on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Norway?
Usually fine from major cities in Norway. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Norway compared to New York?
Norway performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Norway compared to New York?
The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 58°F in Albany. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Albany gets 39.4 in.
What language do they speak in Norway?
The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In New York, the official language is English.
