Moving to Norway from South Korea
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Korea to Norway? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Korea to Norway, you would find that Norway is 75.4% more expensive than South Korea overall. A ₩113,056,500 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly NOK1,006,409 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 63°F in Seoul, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Korea and Norway.
What does your salary buy?
₩113,056,500 → NOK1,006,409
To maintain the same standard of living in Norway
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.8 times more
Groceries
pay 2.3% less
Transportation
pay 91.5% more
Housing
pay 2.2 times more
Childcare
pay 32.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.4 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 South Korea to Norway.
people moved from South Korea to Norway · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Norway compared to South Korea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea generally does better on safety, though Norway leads in road traffic deaths.
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
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Norway performs significantly better than South Korea 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 significantly better than South Korea 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
South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Norway leads in gdp per capita.
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 generally does better on family life, though South Korea leads in life expectancy.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, 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 | Seoul | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
Norwegian Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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.
South Korea passport holder visiting Norway
Visa Free
Norway passport holder visiting South Korea
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 South Korea?
On average Norway is around 45% pricier than South Korea, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Norway?
Budget about NOK251,602 for 3 months in Norway (based on a ₩113,056,500 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, 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?
South Korea generally does better on safety, though Norway leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea.
How is healthcare in Norway compared to South Korea?
South Korea 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 25.2 in South Korea. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Norway compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Norway?
The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
