Moving to Norway from Switzerland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Switzerland to Norway? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Switzerland to Norway, you would find that Norway is 32.9% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF58,584 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly NOK447,013 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 Switzerland and Norway.
What does your salary buy?
CHF58,584 → NOK447,013
To maintain the same standard of living in Norway
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 34.5% less
Groceries
pay 19.9% less
Transportation
pay 26.0% less
Housing
pay 25.4% less
Childcare
pay 81.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 10.1% less
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 Switzerland to Norway.
people moved from Switzerland to Norway · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Norway compared to Switzerland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland 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
Norway performs significantly better than Switzerland across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Switzerland 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
Norway generally does better on infrastructure, though Switzerland leads in broadband per 100 people.
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 Switzerland 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
Norway generally does better on family life, though Switzerland leads in life expectancy.
Data: Swiss Federal Tax Administration, 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 | Bern | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bern | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
Norwegian Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland 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.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Norway
Visa Free
Norway passport holder visiting Switzerland
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 Switzerland?
On average Norway is about 36% less expensive than Switzerland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Norway?
Budget about NOK111,753 for 3 months in Norway (based on a CHF58,584 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?
Switzerland 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 Switzerland.
How is healthcare in Norway compared to Switzerland?
Norway performs significantly better than Switzerland across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 51.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Norway, compared to 44.4 in Switzerland. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Norway compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Norway?
The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
