Norway
Profiled in Oslo · Northern Europe
Oslo pairs fjord-side calm with world-class design, ski trails at the metro's end, and a quiet Nordic confidence that grows on you.
Cost of living
What a month costs
Oslo is genuinely expensive. Groceries, restaurants and alcohol all bite hard, but wages and public services are high, and rent still sits below London or Zurich.
The scores
How it rates for a moving family
See and do
Top 10 in Oslo
- Vigeland Sculpture ParkHundreds of Gustav Vigeland's bronze and granite figures set in Frogner Park, free and open around the clock.
- Oslo Opera HouseThe white marble roof slopes straight into the fjord and you can walk right up it for harbour views.
- Akershus FortressA medieval castle and fortress on the harbour, still a working military site with sweeping city views.
- The Royal PalaceThe king's residence at the top of Karl Johans gate, with a summer changing of the guard in Palace Park.
- MUNCHThe tall waterfront museum devoted to Edvard Munch, holding versions of The Scream and much of his estate.
- National MuseumThe Nordic region's largest art museum, gathering the national collection under one modern roof near the harbour.
- Holmenkollen Ski JumpAn iconic ski jump above the city with a ski museum, viewing tower and a zip line in summer.
- Fram MuseumOn the Bygdoy peninsula, built around the actual polar exploration ship Fram that reached both poles.
- Norwegian Museum of Cultural HistoryA large open-air folk museum on Bygdoy with old timber farms and a medieval stave church.
- Astrup Fearnley MuseumA Renzo Piano waterfront gallery of contemporary art at the tip of the Tjuvholmen district.
Where to go
Weekend escapes
- BergenThe scenic Bergen Railway crosses the mountains to Norway's wooden wharf city and gateway to the western fjords.
- LillehammerUnder two hours by train to the 1994 Olympic town, with the Maihaugen open-air museum and easy winter skiing.
- FredrikstadA short trip south to the best-preserved fortified old town in Scandinavia, ringed by moat and ramparts.
- DrobakA pretty wooden fjord town down the Oslofjord, known for its aquarium and year-round Christmas house.
- TonsbergNorway's oldest town, with Viking history, a hilltop fortress ruin and a lively summer waterfront.
Coffee
Best cafes
- FuglenA vintage 1960s coffee bar by day and cocktail spot by night, a much-loved Oslo institution.
- Tim WendelboeThe tiny Grunerlokka espresso bar and roastery run by the former world barista champion.
- Supreme RoastworksAn award-winning roaster and cafe popular with the city's serious coffee crowd.
- Java EspressobarA long-running neighbourhood favourite near St. Hanshaugen, known for carefully pulled shots.
- StockflethsA classic Oslo coffee house dating back to the 1890s with several central branches.
Restaurants
Where to eat
- MaaemoOslo's celebrated three-Michelin-star restaurant built entirely on organic Norwegian produce.
- StatholdergaardenFine dining under vaulted ceilings in a historic townhouse, led by chef Bent Stiansen.
- Lofoten FiskerestaurantA long-standing seafood house on the Aker Brygge waterfront with fjord and harbour views.
- Fiskeriet YoungstorgetA relaxed fishmonger and restaurant famous for its fish soup and fish and chips.
- RestA sustainability-focused kitchen that cooks with surplus and rescued ingredients, holding a Michelin green star.
- Villa ParadisoA buzzy Grunerlokka pizzeria that helped set the standard for Neapolitan pizza in Oslo.
- Mathallen OsloA covered food hall with dozens of stalls and small eateries, good for grazing across cuisines.
Morning
Best breakfast
- Apent BakeriA well-regarded bakery chain with warm bread, pastries and pavement tables across the city.
- Godt BrodAn organic bakery cafe good for a sit-down breakfast of fresh loaves and rolls.
- Baker HansenA traditional Oslo bakery chain that locals rely on for morning coffee and cinnamon buns.
- United BakeriesA comfortable bakery cafe, including a handsome branch inside the Paleet arcade on Karl Johan.
- LieblingA cosy Grunerlokka spot with a loyal brunch and weekend breakfast following.
- Grand CafeThe historic cafe in the Grand Hotel, once Henrik Ibsen's daily haunt, serving a classic breakfast.
Residency
Norway sits in the EEA but not the EU, and there is no investor or citizenship-by-investment route. Non-EEA nationals generally need a job offer, family tie or study place, with permanent residence possible after three years.
Tax
Personal income is taxed at up to roughly 47 percent, and Norway is one of the few countries that still levies an annual net wealth tax. For the globally mobile wealthy the wealth tax and tightened exit tax rules are the real deterrents.
Thinking about moving here for real? See the verified Norway residency and citizenship routes →
Curious what you would actually pay? See the Norway tax profile: income, corporate, VAT and exit rules →
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