Moving to Norway from the UK

Planning on moving from the UK to Norway? Ranked as the 11th ‘best country to live in the world’ and 4th best for ‘quality of life’, Norway is a wonderful choice.

It’s a country that offers outstanding natural beauty – epic fjords, glaciers, and fertile landscapes – along with long life expectancy, incredible healthcare, and world-class education.

This guide will help you prepare before moving to Norway, including how much it costs to ship your belongings there, as well as information on visas, living costs, and education.

If you’re already keen to start the moving process, we can help. Either fill in our simple form with a few quick details about your move or tell us about your move using the form below. We’ll connect you with our trusted suppliers and they’ll get in touch with bespoke shipping quotes for you to compare.

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If you’re looking for a place to relocate where you can find the perfect work-life balance, then Norway should be at the top of your list. Whether looking for a vibrant city life or a remote country lifestyle, Norway has it all in abundance.

The capital city, Oslo, is brimming with culture, and arts, and has a busy social scene, whereas Bergen, further north on the West Coast, is a great place for city life and outdoor activities, including skiing, hiking, and fishing.

The quaint and sleepy towns dotted throughout the country offer a quiet rural life, where age-old traditions and practices are still heavily used today for fishing and agriculture, but with great transport links to bigger cities for the best of both worlds.

Shipping your belongings from the UK to Norway

One thing you will need to factor in when moving to Norway from the UK is the cost of transporting all your belongings to your new home.

Naturally, the prices will vary depending on where you’re coming from, where you’re headed, and whether you choose air freight or sea freight to send your beloved items. Here are a few price indications to give you a rough estimate of shipping furniture abroad from around the world.

Sea freight costs from the UK to Norway

Below we have calculated some averages for international shipping rates and durations for the top destinations from the UK to Norway.

The rates we gathered from Freightos.com, are calculated by port-to-port transportation of a 20ft container of used furniture worth £55,000 (the typical value of the contents of a three-bedroom home according to the Association of British Insurers).

Please note: these container shipping costs exclude typical add-ons such as door-to-door delivery, professional packing/unpacking, and basic insurance cover. Our shipping suppliers normally incorporate these services into their prices, so expect some discrepancy between the rates given here and the quotes you receive. These estimates should be used as an indication only. This information is up to date, as of January 2025.

Air freight costs from the UK to Norway

While air freight can be less hassle and is definitely the quickest option, the price can reach up to 18 times more expensive than ocean freight, according to Transporteca. So we recommend this to those with the means and those who value the speed their items will be shipped.

The rates are sourced from Freightos.com and are up-to-date as of January 2025.

Visas and becoming a citizen

With a country of this size, the population currently stands at just over five million, but this is continually growing due to the attractive prospects of life in Norway.

Part of the Schengen Agreement and Visa Waiver Program (VWP), means those who wish to travel to Norway from all EU/EEA countries, as well as most major countries including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, can do so without requiring a visitor’s visa, providing they have a valid passport and stay no longer than 90 days.

However, if you are planning on moving to Norway for the foreseeable there are a number of visa options available, such as family visas, working permits, study permits, permanent residence permits, and citizenship.

Working permits for Norway

In order to work in Norway as a UK citizen you have a variety of options to choose from. You’ll typically need to apply for a residence permit, which requires you to have found a job prior to the application. Those aged 18-55 years will be required to complete a certain number of hours of approved Norwegian language tuition.

The types of jobs you can get in Norway range from skilled workers such as nurses or carpenters, seasonal workers in agriculture or the restaurant business, or even exchange programmes for artists and musicians, for example.

Applying for Norwegian citizenship

In principle, applying for citizenship in Norway is relatively straightforward.

Once you’ve obtained a permanent residence permit, you hand in your application to the police in Norway. Due to their short staff and high application volume, it can take around 27 months from when you hand in your documents to receive citizenship.

You may need to also check with the UDI, whether you fit the eligible requirements.

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Healthcare

Equality plays an important role in Norwegian life. With low poverty rates and a reasonably even distribution of wealth across the population, it’s not surprising that this equality extends to the healthcare system. Legal Norwegian residents, expats, and nationals alike, can enjoy access to excellent public healthcare that’s state-funded through tax revenues and a national insurance scheme.

Legally residing expats will pay taxes that contribute to the healthcare system, which means they can receive primary care in state hospitals and clinics.

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that all treatments will be covered and free, so expats may want to consider voluntary contributions to the national insurance scheme to boost their health insurance cover just in case.

Setting up your finances

Banking in Norway is relatively easy to set up coming from the UK, as long as you’re a resident. You’ll either need a Norwegian National Identity Number or if you’re staying for a short term, a D-Number to open your bank account in Norway.

We advise preparing your identity number before arriving so that you can quickly bring your passport and the number to a bank to open your account.

To help you settle into your new home, you’ll need to transfer those British pounds into Norwegian krone, but banks can charge high rates.

Transferring money from the UK to Norway

Before setting off to Norway, you’ll need to convert some of your GBP into Norwegian krone. Typically Wise is one of the easiest online international money transfer services to use, as it shows the real exchange rate, and charges the lowest fees, especially compared to banks.

Join over 12.8 million people using Wise and make your 2025 banking effortless today.

Job market

If you’re moving to Norway it’s good to know that the job market in Norway is buoyant and prospering. On average the wage rates are higher than most of Europe and have a well below average unemployment rate of 3.7%, making it very attractive for foreigners.

Plus in major cities in Norway, you can expect English to be readily and enthusiastically practiced, in public and work environments.

That said, to further your social and work sphere and gain better employment, it’s best to learn the Norwegian language. Knowing the language vocally can help with residency and citizenship later down the line. You can always use an app to translate any writing if necessary.

Language courses are readily available in all cities, but the number of hours of tuition required will vary depending on the sectors you’re working in.

Natural resources

As a country rich in natural resources, such as North Sea oil and gas, it’s not surprising that this is one of its main industries. It’s also one of the world’s largest exporters of these resources, too.

Because of this, many foreigners moving to Norway will look to the oil and gas industry in the major cities of Oslo and Stavanger, as well as offshore locations off the expansive coastline.

Other job sectors

Other popular sectors for foreigners to apply for employment include tourism, services, fisheries as well as the gas and oil industries.

Essential info for Norway

Property information

As a rule, Norwegians take great pride in their homes, so whether you’re looking at buying or renting in Norway you’ll find well-built houses and apartments with everything you could need in terms of amenities and comforts.

However, this means high property prices. Buying or renting property in Norway isn’t cheap – in fact, it’s nearly twice as much as the UK, so you may find your options are more limited if you’re not covered by company expenses.

Naturally, some of the most expensive places to buy and rent are in Oslo and neighbouring Bærem.

Renting in Norway

For those looking to get a feel for the place first by renting, you’ll find most rental properties come fully furnished to a high standard. Having said that, most Norwegians (almost 80%), will opt to buy property, despite the high prices, as the long-term tax benefits are far greater.

For example, renting an average three-bed apartment in a good neighbourhood in Oslo can set you back around £1,431 pcm, whereas to buy a similar apartment, you’re looking at around £6,826 per square meter.

Of course, the price always depends on location, so if you can be more flexible about the area you live in, you may find a better deal. Venturing a little further out into the suburbs, countryside, or even other cities, such as Bergen and Stavanger will see significantly lower prices that are much more affordable. Being flexible on your locations can mean your money goes a lot further.

Buying a home in Norway

If you are in the market for buying a property, you’ll first need to apply for a mortgage, which will also need to be approved by a bank. Only then should you put in an offer on a property, as the process works through bidding.

So if a buyer accepts your bid and your finances aren’t in order, you could potentially lose the property and be back to square one.

Living costs

There’s no getting around the fact that living in Norway is expensive and although the average wages are higher, so are the tax rates and general cost of living for rent and utilities, which may not leave you with huge amounts of disposable income.

Food

Norway has plenty to offer in terms of culinary delights and you’ll find most of the regular items you’re looking for, but a lot of the food and drink is imported, therefore expensive. One of the most reasonably priced foods to look out for is local fish and seafood – although it’s still more expensive than in the UK.

Norway is more cost-effective if you don’t drink alcohol, as it’s very expensive compared to most other countries and you can only buy alcohol higher than 4.75% from a Vinmonopolet (you can purchase alcohol in a restaurant or bar). The average price of a beer in Norway ranges from £7.08–£8.00, and a bottle of mid-range wine will set you back at least £11.32.

Locals tend to bulk buy it back from the airport as it works out cheaper in duty-free, or some brew their own.

For many Norwegians, a trip over the border to neighbouring Sweden is a far more attractive and cost-effective way to do a weekly shop, as the food is up to 20% cheaper.

In terms of eating out, you can get a reasonably ‘cheap’ fast-food meal for around £9.91, but a three-course meal in a restaurant for two is best reserved for special occasions, with the average price costing around £70.76.

Utilities

The main expense for living will inevitably be your rent, but other essentials include your basic utilities such as water, electric, heating, and waste disposal rate, which currently average at £167.08 per month for a standard household. No doubt you’ll want to keep in touch with the world, so the internet will be a vital expense and will set you back around £43.54 per month, depending on your tariff and usage.

Transport

Getting around after moving to Norway shouldn’t be a problem as it boasts a fantastic transportation system with excellent roads, public transport, ferries, and trains. Understandably with so much coastline, one of the most effective and scenic ways to get about is on one of the many ferry lines that run up and down the coastline as well as in and out of Oslo. It’s a great way to see the stunning coastline and is relatively cheap, too.

In the cities, you’ll find a whole array of transport available and cost-effective monthly passes for £56.25. Oslo, Trondheim, and Bergen have particularly good public transport available with buses, metros, and trams, so you could get away with not having a car if you lived in the city.

However, if you live out of the city there are also trains and buses, but a car might be an easier and more convenient mode of transport. Having said that, cars can be expensive with a new Volkswagen Golf 1.4-litre or equivalent costing around £25,269 – and high fuel prices to boot.

Schools and education

When it comes to the educational system, Norway offers exceptional education that’s compulsory for everyone from the ages of 6-16. They also offer an “optional” three-year study up to the age of 19, which most students attend as there are few job opportunities without these qualifications.

All public education is free and regulated by the local municipalities and lessons are taught solely in Norwegian, unless it's a foreign language class.

Norwegian school system

The school system is broken down into Primary School (Barneskole), Lower Secondary School (Ungdomsskole), and Upper Secondary School (Videregående skole). Primary education covers the 1st to 7th grade (6-13 years) where kids will learn core subjects such as maths, Norwegian, English, and social studies.

Children are then moved to a lower secondary school for three years, where they will be graded and choose a lead subject, such as foreign languages. This stage must be completed in order to move to Upper Secondary School, which is another three years of study to achieve the highest diploma.

There are also now a number of private and international schools in the cities, which are popular with a lot of expats and offer International Baccalaureates that equate to a British GCSE.

Universities in Norway

If you want your kids to attend higher education, then Norway offers free attendance for Norwegian and International students, unless it’s for a private or specialist course at public state universities, colleges, and institutions throughout the country. This is definitely a country that values education and equal access for all.

Driving in Norway

As Norway is considered an EU/EEA country, you can use a valid EU/EEA-issued driving license without the need to exchange it for a Norwegian one. For countries not in the EU/EEA you can drive up to three months, however, if you’re looking for a permanent move you will need to pass a practical exam within a year to receive a valid Norwegian driving license.

Motorists in Norway drive on the right-hand side of the road in right-hand drive cars, which isn’t a problem for most of the world, but for those used to driving on the left, it may take some getting used to. It’s also important to factor in the different driving conditions you’ll encounter in Norway too, as winter conditions will mean severe ice and snow and require snow chains.

It’s also worth noting that many of the excellent roads are located in the south of the country, so if you’re heading north be prepared for less travelled roads with single lanes and tougher terrains as you head into the mountains.

Ranking against the world

As we’ve already mentioned, Norway has been consistently ranked the best place to live in the world, which means it ranks well against other nations, such as the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. It’s also consistently ranked among the top most prosperous countries in the world, which is fundamentally down to the outdoor lifestyle and healthy living.

The Norwegians are an incredibly family-oriented nation, so a move to Norway will mean you can have a healthy work-life balance, where the family and quality of life come first. Most working days are 7.5 hours and there’s little or no expectation to take work home with you, unlike in the US and Japan, so once you’re out the door, you can simply enjoy the fruits of your labour with expansive outdoors, stunning coastline, and a healthy lifestyle.

Although the high standards of living, healthcare, and education speak for themselves on paper, it’s often the smaller details that really sell it to people, such as the sophisticated culture, arts, and outdoor leisure.

For anyone who’s looking to be at one with nature at its best then Norway is a fantastic choice, as you’ll have nature and beauty in abundance with the Northern Lights, fjords, glaciers, and mountain ranges. However, one thing’s for sure, you’ll have to be prepared to pay for these privileges along the way as life in Norway is far from cheap.

Transferring money to Norway

If you’re thinking of moving to Norway and/or buying property there, you’ll need to convert your money into Norwegian Krone (NOK).

That’s why we’ve teamed up with Wise, an easy-to-use online international money transfer service that uses the real exchange rate and charges low fees.

How much could you save? Well, its service can be up to eight times cheaper than high street banks.

Join more than 12.8 million people and start using Wise today.

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