Everyday life in Norway: housing, prices and winter

Renting a home

Almost every rental home is listed on finn.no. Good flats in Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim go quickly, so send a short, proper message saying who you are, where you work and when you can move in. At a viewing it is normal to take your shoes off.

Always insist on a written tenancy agreement (husleiekontrakt) – the Consumer Council (Forbrukerrådet) has a standard contract that many people use. Under the Tenancy Act the deposit (depositum) can be at most six months' rent, and it must be held in a separate deposit account in your name, not in the landlord's private account. Never transfer a deposit to someone you have not met or for a flat you have not seen. Scam adverts are sadly common, especially just before the academic year starts.

BankID and digital Norway

BankID is the key to almost everything: nav.no, skatteetaten.no, helsenorge.no, Vipps, tenancy agreements and electricity contracts. You get it through a Norwegian bank once you have a fødselsnummer and approved ID. Some banks require you to come in person, and with passports from some countries it can take a while, so start early.

Once BankID is sorted, download Vipps. Norwegians «vipps» each other for everything from dinner bills to second-hand buys on finn.no, and cash is rarely used. Also make sure you have activated Digipost or e-Boks, because letters from public agencies increasingly arrive digitally rather than in your letterbox.

Prices and Vinmonopolet

Norway is expensive, but not equally expensive across the board. Restaurant meals, alcohol, tobacco and tradesmen cost a lot. Groceries are pricey, but the discount chains Rema 1000, Kiwi and Extra keep prices down, and many people do one big shop a week. Bring a packed lunch (matpakke) like Norwegians do and you will save a lot.

You can buy low-alcohol beer in the supermarket, but only until 20:00 on weekdays and 18:00 on Saturdays. On Sundays shops do not sell beer at all. Wine, spirits and beer stronger than 4.7 per cent are sold only at Vinmonopolet, the state-owned chain. «Polet» has a good selection and knowledgeable staff, but it is closed on Sundays and public holidays, so plan ahead before Easter and Christmas.

Weather, clothes and the dark season

Sooner or later you will hear «there is no bad weather, only bad clothes». It is mostly true. Buy wool for the base layer, a good wind- and waterproof jacket and shoes with deep treads or ice grips (brodder). Kindergarten children are outside in almost any weather, so expect to buy an all-in-one winter suit, rain gear and wool underwear.

In Northern Norway the sun does not rise above the horizon for weeks in midwinter – in Tromsø roughly from late November to mid-January. But in Oslo too the days are short in December. Get out in the daylight when you can, consider a daylight lamp and talk to your GP about vitamin D. And sign up for something: a choir, a sports club, a course. Winter is easier with other people.

Public transport

Every county has its own public transport company: Ruter in Oslo and Akershus, Skyss in Vestland, AtB in Trøndelag, Kolumbus in Rogaland and so on. You buy tickets in the company's app, and a monthly pass pays for itself quickly if you commute. Vy runs most of the trains in Eastern Norway and between the big cities.

The Entur app is the best tool for planning trips across the whole country, with trains, buses, boats and ferries in one search. If you drive, remember that road tolls are charged automatically through AutoPASS, and that winter tyres are needed for much of the year. Along the coast the ferry is part of the road, and in many places it is the only way to get there.

Norwegian courses, the Norwegian test and citizenship

The municipality offers Norwegian tuition, but whether it is free depends on your residence status. Labour migrants from the EEA usually have to pay themselves, either at the municipal adult education centre, a private school or an online course. Folkeuniversitetet and many universities run evening classes.

The Norwegian test (norskprøven) measures oral and written skills from A1 to C1, and the result is used by employers, colleges and the authorities. If you apply for Norwegian citizenship, you must among other things document oral Norwegian at level B1 or higher – the requirement was tightened in autumn 2022 – and pass the citizenship test. The rules change from time to time, so check udi.no before you apply. The best advice is still simple: speak Norwegian, even when people answer in English.