Moving to United Kingdom from Norway

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Norway to United Kingdom? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Norway to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 31.8% more expensive than Norway overall. A NOK733,695 salary in Norway would need to be roughly £54,263 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — London averages 60°F vs 49°F in Oslo, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Norway and United Kingdom.

What does your salary buy?

NOK733,695 £54,263

To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 26.2% less

Groceries

pay 26.3% less

Transportation

pay 5.0% more

Housing

pay 10.4% more

Childcare

pay 3.8 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 7.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 NOK = 0.0763 GBP (July 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.

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 United Kingdom cost about 6% less than cities in Norway.

Norway

Oslo 73%
Haugesund 64%

United Kingdom

Bath 63%
Slough 61%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Norway to United Kingdom.

Moved in 2015
4,000

people moved from Norway to United Kingdom · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United Kingdom?

Top countries of origin for United Kingdom's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in United Kingdom compared to Norway.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

NO
0.6
GB
1.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NO
1.5
GB
2.4

Norway performs better than United Kingdom across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

NO
$9,523
GB
$6,606
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

NO
51.7
GB
31.7

United Kingdom 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

NO
8.0
GB
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NO
7.2t
GB
4.2t

Norway generally does better on environment, though United Kingdom leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NO
45.9
GB
41.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NO
2.0%
GB
14.3%

Norway performs better than United Kingdom across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NO
3.6%
GB
4.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NO
$90,500
GB
$54,100

Norway performs better than United Kingdom across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NO
82.5 yrs
GB
81.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NO
2.3
GB
3.8

Norway performs better than United Kingdom across all family life metrics.

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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Oslo London
Jan–Mar 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) 49°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) 64°/48°F (18°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) 72°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) 53°/43°F (12°/6°C)
View all months
Month Oslo London
Jan 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C)
Feb 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C)
Mar 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C)
Apr 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C)
May 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C)
Jun 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C)
Aug 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C)
Sep 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C)
Oct 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C)
Nov 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C)
Dec 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C)

Data: Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Met Office Met Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Norway and United Kingdom. To live, work, or study long-term in United Kingdom, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Kingdom's immigration authority.

Norway passport

Norway passport holder visiting United Kingdom

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

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Norway

Visa Free
United Kingdom passport holders can enter Norway without a visa.

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 United Kingdom than Norway?

On average United Kingdom is about 3% less expensive than Norway, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?

Budget about £13,566 for 3 months in United Kingdom (based on a NOK733,695 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?

Connectivity is usually fine (United Kingdom: 41.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does United Kingdom offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is United Kingdom safe for expats?

Norway performs better than United Kingdom across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Norway.

How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to Norway?

United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 51.7 in Norway. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Norway: 87).

What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to Norway?

The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 49°F in Oslo. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Oslo gets 30.0 in.

What language do they speak in United Kingdom?

The official language in United Kingdom is English. In Norway, the official languages are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.

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At a Glance

NO GB
Population 5,553,840 67,791,400
Currency Norwegian Krone (NOK) British Pound Sterling (£)
Languages Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +47 +44
Time zones 1 9
Emergency number 112 999