Moving to Norway from Poland

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Poland to Norway — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Poland to Norway, you would find that Norway is 68.5% more expensive than Poland overall. A PLN284,812 salary in Poland would need to be roughly NOK1,084,714 in Norway to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Poland to Norway.

What does your salary buy?

PLN284,812 NOK1,084,714

To maintain the same standard of living in Norway

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 77.6% more

Groceries

pay 96.7% more

Transportation

pay 82.6% more

Housing

pay 85.8% more

Childcare

pay 1.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.1 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PLN = 2.58 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.

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 44% more than cities in Poland.

Norway

Oslo 73%
Haugesund 64%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Norway

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Poland to Norway, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
6,444 ↓ 3% vs 2022

people moved from Poland 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Poland to Norway.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

PL
0.7
NO
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PL
6.5
NO
1.5

Norway performs significantly better than Poland across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

PL
$3,939
NO
$9,523
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

PL
33.9
NO
51.7

Poland 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

PL
41.0
NO
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PL
7.6t
NO
7.2t

Norway performs significantly better than Poland across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PL
23.0
NO
45.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PL
32.1%
NO
2.0%

Norway performs significantly better than Poland across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PL
2.9%
NO
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PL
$44,100
NO
$90,500

Poland generally does better on employment & economy, though Norway leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PL
78.8 yrs
NO
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PL
4.2
NO
2.3

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

Data: Ministry of Finance, Poland, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Warsaw Rain: 20.9 in/yr (532 mm)
55° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Warsaw Oslo
Jan–Mar 38°/26°F (3°/-3°C) 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/46°F (19°/8°C) 59°/43°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/53°F (22°/12°C) 66°/51°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 44°/33°F (7°/1°C) 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Warsaw Oslo
Jan 33°/24°F (0.7°/-4.4°C) 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C)
Feb 36°/25°F (2.1°/-3.9°C) 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C)
Mar 44°/30°F (6.9°/-0.9°C) 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C)
Apr 57°/38°F (13.9°/3.6°C) 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C)
May 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C) 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C)
Jun 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 76°/57°F (24.6°/13.7°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C)
Aug 75°/55°F (23.9°/13.0°C) 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C)
Sep 65°/48°F (18.4°/9.0°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C)
Oct 55°/40°F (12.8°/4.7°C) 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C)
Nov 43°/33°F (5.9°/0.5°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C)
Dec 35°/26°F (1.6°/-3.1°C) 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C)

Data: Institute of Meteorology and Water Management Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Poland 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.

Poland passport

Poland passport holder visiting Norway

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

Norway passport holder visiting Poland

Visa Free
Norway passport holders can enter Poland 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 Poland?

No — Norway is on average about 48% more expensive than Poland. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Norway?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NOK271,178 in Norway on a PLN284,812 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Norway?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Norway has 45.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Norway safe for expats?

Norway performs significantly better than Poland across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Poland.

How is healthcare in Norway compared to Poland?

Poland 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 33.9 in Poland. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Poland: 82).

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

The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 55°F in Warsaw. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Warsaw gets 20.9 in.

What language do they speak in Norway?

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

Share this

At a Glance

PL NO
Population 38,093,101 5,553,840
Currency Polish Zloty (PLN) Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Languages Polish Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +48 +47
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112