Moving to Norway from Panama
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 72.9% more expensive than Panama overall. A PAB75,000 salary in Panama would need to be roughly NOK1,240,000 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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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Panama and Norway.
What does your salary buy?
PAB75,000 → NOK1,240,000
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 34.7% more
Transportation
pay 2.2 times more
Housing
pay 72.7% more
Childcare
pay 20.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.2 times 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Panama to Norway.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Norway compared to Panama.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Norway performs significantly better than Panama 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 Panama 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
Panama 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 generally does better on infrastructure, though Panama leads in water stress level.
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
share of people below the poverty line
Norway generally does better on employment & economy, though Panama 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 Panama across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), General Directorate of Revenues, Panama (2016), Norwegian Tax Administration (2017). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
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,
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 holder visiting Norway
Visa Free
Norway passport holder visiting Panama
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 Norway than Panama?
On average Norway is around 73% pricier than Panama, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Norway?
Budget about NOK310,000 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: 45.2 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 Panama across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.7 in Panama.
How is healthcare in Norway compared to Panama?
Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 49.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Norway, compared to 16.2 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.
