Moving to Norway from New Zealand
What to Expect
Considering a move from New Zealand to Norway? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from New Zealand to Norway, you would find that Norway is 37.2% more expensive than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly NOK926,000 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 66°F in Auckland, 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 New Zealand?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 72.0% more
Groceries
pay 42.9% more
Transportation
pay 38.8% more
Housing
pay 40.0% more
Childcare
pay 54.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 53.5% 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?
NZ$130,000 → NOK926,000
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 40% more than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Norway
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from New Zealand to Norway.
people moved from New Zealand to Norway · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Norway compared to New Zealand.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Norway performs significantly better than New Zealand across all safety metrics.
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 New Zealand 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
New Zealand generally does better on environment, though Norway leads in air pollution deaths.
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 New Zealand 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
Norway generally does better on employment & economy, though New Zealand leads in top income tax 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
Norway performs significantly better than New Zealand across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016), Norwegian Tax Administration (2017). How we calculate this
Weather in Norway vs New Zealand
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Auckland | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/61°F (23°/16°C) | 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 63°/51°F (18°/11°C) | 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 60°/47°F (15°/8°C) | 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 67°/55°F (20°/13°C) | 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Auckland | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C) | 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) |
| Feb | 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C) | 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) |
| Mar | 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C) | 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) |
| Apr | 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C) | 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) |
| May | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C) | 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) |
| Jun | 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C) | 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) |
| Aug | 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C) | 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) |
| Sep | 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C) | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) |
| Oct | 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C) | 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) |
| Nov | 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C) | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Dec | 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C) | 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Norwegian Meteorological Institute
Can you move from New Zealand to Norway?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand 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.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Norway
Visa Free
Norway passport holder visiting New Zealand
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 Zealand?
On average Norway is around 37% pricier than New Zealand, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Norway?
Budget about NOK231,500 for 3 months in Norway (based on a NZ$130,000 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: 45.2 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 New Zealand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Norway compared to New Zealand?
Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 49.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Norway, compared to 36.1 in New Zealand. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Norway compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 66°F in Auckland. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Auckland gets 43.3 in.
What language do they speak in Norway?
The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
