Moving to Norway from Sweden
What to Expect
Considering a move from Sweden to Norway? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Sweden to Norway, you would find that Norway is 31.3% more expensive than Sweden overall. A SEK693,101 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly NOK818,324 in Norway to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Sweden and Norway.
What does your salary buy?
SEK693,101 → NOK818,324
To maintain the same standard of living in Norway
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 32.2% more
Groceries
pay 11.3% more
Transportation
pay 2.0% more
Housing
pay 41.8% more
Childcare
pay 2.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 30.4% 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 Sweden to Norway.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Norway compared to Sweden.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Norway performs significantly better than Sweden 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Sweden performs better than Norway 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 Sweden 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
Norway performs significantly better than Sweden across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Sweden performs better than Norway across all family life metrics.
Data: Skatteverket, 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 | Stockholm | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) | 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) | 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) | 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Stockholm | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) | 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) |
| Feb | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) | 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) |
| Mar | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) | 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) |
| Apr | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) | 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) |
| May | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) | 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) |
| Jun | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) | 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) |
| Aug | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) | 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) |
| Sep | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) |
| Oct | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) | 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) |
| Nov | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Dec | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) | 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) |
Data:
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI),
Norwegian Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden 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.
Sweden passport holder visiting Norway
Visa Free
Norway passport holder visiting Sweden
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 Sweden?
On average Norway is around 18% pricier than Sweden, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Norway?
Budget about NOK204,581 for 3 months in Norway (based on a SEK693,101 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?
Norway performs significantly better than Sweden across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Sweden.
How is healthcare in Norway compared to Sweden?
Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in health coverage index. There are 51.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Norway, compared to 71.5 in Sweden. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).
What's the weather like in Norway compared to Sweden?
The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.
What language do they speak in Norway?
The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.
