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Original poster

How expensive is Norway?

115 replies

Greylag · 05/05/2023 08:31

Planning a short summer holiday in late August. I hate hot weather so thought Norway? But I've heard things are very expensive there?

OP posts:
RubyMurry22 · 05/05/2023 08:33

Exepsive but amazing! I had a burger in a restaurant at lunch time and it was £25. I don’t drink alcohol so can’t comment on that. We were staying with family so not sure in supermarket costs as we were very generously catered for.

JWR · 05/05/2023 08:34

We found it a bit eye watering, especially alcohol. A Pizza Express type meal including a bottle of wine but main courses only was about £120 for 3 adults.

RedToothBrush · 05/05/2023 08:38

Don't eat out where you can. Go to the supermarket instead. Don't drink. Don't forget to take your own paracetamol. Find as much free stuff to do as you can. Be happy to lose and arm and a leg and it still be expensive.

But yes it's worth it. If you can afford it.

Londonnight · 05/05/2023 08:40

Very expensive. I have Norwegian family and know how expensive everything can be.
It is often very hot in August too, though not as hot as Spain etc.

ThreeRingCircus · 05/05/2023 08:41

It is definitely pricey, particularly eating out. I think we paid £10 for a pint of beer somewhere and found restaurants and cafés probably around 50% more expensive than in the UK.

It's absolutely gorgeous though, so worth it if you don't mind the cost.

DeltaAlphaDelta79 · 05/05/2023 08:41

We went last summer. Luckily we were on a cruise so didn't need to buy much off ship, but a bottle of water in a local shop was £3, a couple of beers (just under a pint) were £23 and we got a few of the local sweets for a relative and what would have been about £5 worth at home was about £12.

Oakbeam · 05/05/2023 08:48

Very expensive when I went there. Probably double UK prices. I saw people on boats in Oslo harbour paying for boxes of groceries with bottles Scotch rather than cash.

Petrol was reasonable, in comparison to everything else.

Bitteraftertaste · 05/05/2023 08:48

Kiss goodbye to the contents of your purse.

I really loved my holiday in Norway but it was really expensive I remember it was about 25 for fish and chips each and that was a while ago.

If I ever go back it will be when we have our camper van so we can eat our own food.

Ostryga · 05/05/2023 08:49

It’s insanely expensive. A pint was £12! It’s better to go for a long weekend (with absolutely loads of spending money) than a week.

Aaron95 · 05/05/2023 08:50

We found that most things were double the price they are here in the UK. There is some variation. Food in both shops and restaurants was roughly double what you would pay here. Alcohol was almost 3 times the price. A beer was easily £10 in a bar.

Accomodation, car rental and petrol on the other and weren't that bad. We spent a week in Norway and most of the hotels/cabins we stayed in were similar prices to what you would pay here.

It is an incredibly beautiful country though and you can visit without paying a fortune. Don't go on a pub crawl, buy food in supermarkets and self cater and you can see it without having to remortgage your house.

If you are only going for a week my advice would be to skip Oslo and head northwards. Bergen, Tromso are far smaller and once you get outside of those cities there are very few people and nothing but spectacular scenery.

QuickGuide · 05/05/2023 08:54

I actually thought it was similar prices to the touristy bits of London. We had a guide who took us to restaurants off the beaten track where she went with her family, so I'd guess that makes a difference.

Expensive but not that expensive if you're used to London prices.

caringcarer · 05/05/2023 08:55

I went on cruise and had a day in Norway. It was insanely expensive. I bought a little china bell as my Mum collected china bells and it cost me £35 about 10 years ago. At the time could buy something similar in most other countries for under £10.

Silkierabbit · 05/05/2023 08:59

It's was incredibly expensive, we started a 2 week holiday in Sweden where we found prices maybe similar to London ones, could stay in hotels, eat in restaurants, choice of trips out. Then moved to Norway and needed to stay in AirBNB and mostly self cater apart from one hotel we found which was excellent for a couple of nights. The Airbnbs were reasonably priced, trips out were not too bad but hotels we found were double normal rates, eating out was about 3 times what would pay in UK for very average food, supermarket was about 50% higher. Takeaway van outside supermarket in middle of nowhere saw a Thai noodle van, asked dh to get me some noodles and it was a small portion for 15 pounds, would have cost around 5 here. It was stunningly beautiful around fjords especially.

SirWalterElliot · 05/05/2023 09:01

Alcohol is v expensive (shops or bars). Food is expensive to eat out but not awful from supermarkets.

Blueberrycreampie · 05/05/2023 09:04

I've been a few times but on cruises. Seen some of the cities but also the fjords - magnificent obviously! The beauty of a cruise is you don't need to spend much / anything to see it all except maybe the odd coffee or entrance fee. Lots of ships at different prices go, eg P&O, Fred Olsen, Princess Cruises.

Setyoufree · 05/05/2023 09:06

It depends where in the UK you are - if you're used to London eating out and alcohol prices is was only a little bit more. I absolutely loved it, would totally recommend it

Snoken · 05/05/2023 09:07

It is a beautiful country but very expensive. Espeially if you drink or smoke. Sweden is known for being expensive too but the Norwegians go to Sweden to shop because it's so much cheaper there.

In terms of cost of living, comparing the UK to Norway, it's 23% cheaper to live in Norway, but as a tourist it will be a lot more expensive.

Original poster
Greylag · 05/05/2023 09:08

What would a budget of 2k for 3 people get me? I'd like full board really. I do suffer from anxiety and prefer to have things arranged beforehand.

I remember paying £90 in Iceland for a breakfast for 3 people 😭

OP posts:
Swishhh · 05/05/2023 09:09

Really expensive but TBH I’ve found most of Europe to be catching up.

Original poster
Greylag · 05/05/2023 09:10

Are their short cruises? Say 4 days within my price range?

OP posts:
QuickGuide · 05/05/2023 09:10

Greylag · 05/05/2023 09:08

What would a budget of 2k for 3 people get me? I'd like full board really. I do suffer from anxiety and prefer to have things arranged beforehand.

I remember paying £90 in Iceland for a breakfast for 3 people 😭

I don't think £2k between 3 would get full board for more than a few days in UK?

Swishhh · 05/05/2023 09:11

You don’t need full board as you’ll be restricted to getting back to the hotel for lunch.

Snoken · 05/05/2023 09:12

Greylag · 05/05/2023 09:08

What would a budget of 2k for 3 people get me? I'd like full board really. I do suffer from anxiety and prefer to have things arranged beforehand.

I remember paying £90 in Iceland for a breakfast for 3 people 😭

Do you mean you want to eat all your meals at the hotel? I am not sure there are places like that in Norway unless you go on a cruise. It's not like going to a resort in Crete.

Mum1976Mum · 05/05/2023 09:14

We are paying 2.5k for a cruise around Norway st the beginning of July. We intend to eat in the ship to save money!

notacooldad · 05/05/2023 09:15

I'm from the Nw of the UK.
Norway is really expensive compared to where I live but I love it. I usually go to Oslo twice a year for a long weekend. Summer is best but hopefully you won't be there when the Oslo marathon is on. I can't remember when that is.
Taxis in Oslo are ridiculously expensive.