Moving to Japan from Norway
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Norway to Japan — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Norway to Japan, you would find that Japan is 29.0% cheaper than Norway overall. A NOK694,005 salary in Norway would need to be roughly ¥7,322,160 in Japan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Japanese. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Tokyo averages 69°F vs 49°F in Oslo, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Norway to Japan.
What does your salary buy?
NOK694,005 → ¥7,322,160
To maintain the same standard of living in Japan
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 68.2% less
Groceries
pay 10.0% less
Transportation
pay 24.2% less
Housing
pay 45.2% less
Childcare
pay 25.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 38.4% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Norway to Japan, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Japan?
Top countries of origin for Japan's foreign-born residents.
- 775,893
- 456,203
- 335,668
- 275,252
- 204,814
- 58,340
- · · ·
-
42.566
Norway
Key Indicator Comparison
How Norway and Japan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Norway generally does better on safety, though Japan leads in homicide rate.
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
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 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
Norway performs 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
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.
Data: Norwegian Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Oslo | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Oslo | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) |
| Feb | 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) |
| Mar | 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) |
| Apr | 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) |
| May | 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| Sep | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) |
| Oct | 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) |
| Nov | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) |
| Dec | 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) |
Data:
Norwegian Meteorological Institute,
Japan Meteorological Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Norway and Japan. To live, work, or study long-term in Japan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Japan's immigration authority.
Norway passport holder visiting Japan
Visa Free
Japan passport holder visiting Norway
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 Japan than Norway?
Generally yes: Japan runs about 39% cheaper than Norway on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Japan?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NOK694,005 comparable salary, that's around ¥1,830,540 in Japan for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Japan?
With 37.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Japan can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Norway and Japan.
Is Japan safe for expats?
Norway generally does better on safety, though Japan leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Japan is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Norway.
How is healthcare in Japan compared to Norway?
Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Japan, compared to 51.7 in Norway. Japan scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Norway: 87).
What's the weather like in Japan compared to Norway?
The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 49°F in Oslo. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Oslo gets 30.0 in.
What language do they speak in Japan?
The official language in Japan is Japanese. In Norway, the official languages are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.
