Moving to Norway from Panama

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Panama to Norway, you would find that Norway is 71.7% more expensive than Panama overall. A PAB75,000 salary in Panama would need to be roughly NOK1,068,360 in Norway to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Oslo averages 49°F vs 93°F in Panama City, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Panama and Norway.

What does your salary buy?

PAB75,000 NOK1,068,360

To maintain the same standard of living in Norway

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.3 times more

Groceries

pay 29.2% more

Transportation

pay 96.5% more

Housing

pay 49.7% more

Childcare

pay 12.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.6 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PAB = 9.65 NOK (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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Panama to Norway.

Moved in 2023
4 ↓ 43% vs 2022

people moved from Panama 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

The numbers behind daily life in Norway compared to Panama.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

PA
11.3
NO
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PA
7.3
NO
1.5

Norway performs significantly better than Panama across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

PA
$3,318
NO
$9,523
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

PA
17.3
NO
51.7

Panama 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

PA
17.0
NO
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PA
2.7t
NO
7.2t

Panama 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

PA
15.5
NO
45.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PA
0.9%
NO
2.0%

Norway generally does better on infrastructure, though Panama leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PA
6.7%
NO
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PA
$35,800
NO
$90,500

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PA
77.6 yrs
NO
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PA
16.4
NO
2.3

Norway performs significantly better than Panama across all family life metrics.

Data: General Directorate of Revenues, Panama, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Panama City Rain: 75.1 in/yr (1907 mm)
93° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Panama City Oslo
Jan–Mar 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) 59°/43°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) 66°/51°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Panama City Oslo
Jan 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C)
Feb 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C)
Mar 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C)
Apr 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C)
May 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C)
Jun 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C)
Aug 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C)
Sep 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C)
Oct 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C)
Nov 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C)
Dec 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C)

Data: IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá, Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Panama 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.

Panama passport

Panama passport holder visiting Norway

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

Norway passport holder visiting Panama

Visa Free
Norway passport holders can enter Panama 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 Norway than Panama?

On average Norway is around 48% pricier than Panama, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Norway?

Budget about NOK267,090 for 3 months in Norway (based on a PAB75,000 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: 45.9 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 Panama across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.3 in Panama.

How is healthcare in Norway compared to Panama?

Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 51.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Norway, compared to 17.3 in Panama. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Panama: 78).

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

The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 93°F in Panama City. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Panama City gets 75.1 in.

What language do they speak in Norway?

The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In Panama, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

PA NO
Population 4,337,768 5,553,840
Currency Panamanian Balboa (PAB) Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Languages Spanish Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +507 +47
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 112