Moving to Norway from Wisconsin
What to Expect
Considering a move from Wisconsin to Norway? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Wisconsin to Norway, you would find that Norway is 15.7% more expensive than Wisconsin. A $75,000 salary in Wisconsin would need to be roughly NOK851,700 in Norway to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Wisconsin and Norway.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → NOK851,700
To maintain the same standard of living in Norway
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 33.0% more
Groceries
pay 13.7% more
Transportation
pay 63.5% more
Housing
pay 0.9% less
Childcare
pay 77.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 39.8% 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 Wisconsin to Norway.
people moved from United States to Norway · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Norway compared to Wisconsin.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Norway performs significantly better than Wisconsin across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Norway performs significantly better than Wisconsin across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Wisconsin generally does better on employment & economy, though Norway leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Norway performs significantly better than Wisconsin across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Madison | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C) | 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 68°/46°F (20°/8°C) | 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C) | 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Madison | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C) | 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) |
| Feb | 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C) | 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) |
| Mar | 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C) | 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) |
| Apr | 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) | 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) |
| May | 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) | 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) |
| Jun | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C) | 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) |
| Aug | 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C) | 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) |
| Sep | 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C) | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) |
| Oct | 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C) | 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) |
| Nov | 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C) | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Dec | 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C) | 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Norwegian Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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 States passport holder visiting Norway
Visa Free
Norway passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Wisconsin?
On average Norway is around 19% pricier than Wisconsin, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Norway?
Budget about NOK212,925 for 3 months in Norway (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Norway?
From major Norway cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Wisconsin and Norway are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Norway compared to Wisconsin?
Norway performs significantly better than Wisconsin across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Norway compared to Wisconsin?
The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 56°F in Madison. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Madison gets 34.5 in.
What language do they speak in Norway?
The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In Wisconsin, the official language is English.
