Moving to Norway from United Arab Emirates

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Norway, you would find that Norway is 59.2% more expensive than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,486 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly NOK757,789 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 Abu Dhabi, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from United Arab Emirates to Norway.

What does your salary buy?

AED275,486 NOK757,789

To maintain the same standard of living in Norway

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 3.2 times more

Groceries

pay 84.6% more

Transportation

pay 97.9% more

Housing

pay 8.5% less

Childcare

pay 15.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 26.5% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 AED = 2.52 NOK (June 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from United Arab Emirates to Norway, based on official data.

Moved in 2022
1 ↓ 67% vs 2021

people moved from United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates to Norway.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AE
0.5
NO
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AE
5.9
NO
1.5

United Arab Emirates generally does better on safety, though Norway leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AE
$3,727
NO
$9,523
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

AE
29.1
NO
51.7

United Arab Emirates 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

AE
70.0
NO
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AE
18.3t
NO
7.2t

Norway performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates 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

AE
40.0
NO
45.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AE
1533.3%
NO
2.0%

Norway performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AE
2.7%
NO
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AE
$75,600
NO
$90,500

United Arab Emirates 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

AE
79.6 yrs
NO
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AE
5.1
NO
2.3

Norway performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates across all family life metrics.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Abu Dhabi Rain: 3.5 in/yr (89 mm)
93° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Abu Dhabi Oslo
Jan–Mar 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) 59°/43°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) 66°/51°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Abu Dhabi Oslo
Jan 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C)
Feb 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C)
Mar 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C)
Apr 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C)
May 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C)
Jun 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C)
Aug 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C)
Sep 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C)
Oct 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C)
Nov 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C)
Dec 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C)

Data: Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates 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.

United Arab Emirates passport

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Norway

Visa Free
United Arab Emirates passport holders can enter Norway without a visa.
Norway passport

Norway passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa Free
Norway passport holders can enter United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates?

No — Norway is on average about 9% more expensive than United Arab Emirates. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Norway?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NOK189,447 in Norway on a AED275,486 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, 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?

United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates.

How is healthcare in Norway compared to United Arab Emirates?

United Arab Emirates 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 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).

What's the weather like in Norway compared to United Arab Emirates?

The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.

What language do they speak in Norway?

The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

AE NO
Population 9,915,803 5,553,840
Currency United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Languages Arabic Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +971 +47
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 112