Norway - daily costs

johnire

Hi.

I'm just wondering if anyone can offer some advice as regards the cost of a trip to Norway.
I'm not talking about travel costs but more the daily costs of being there. I'm mainly concerned with restaurant costs. I've heard that Norway is really expensive to visit. I'd be really grateful if someone could give me a realistic idea as to what Id need to budget for for two adults as regards eating costs. I'm talking about an ordinary restaurant for an evening meal and just a sandwich and tea during the day....nothing extravagant !!
Many thanks in advance.

Tiddlypeeps

I visited Trondheim a couple of years ago and it was very expensive. I was a student at the time tho, so the price of a pint was probably the most memorable part of the trip. It was about €10 average for a pint of the cheapest beer.

My first few days there I ate mostly junk food like McDonalds thinking it would be the cheapest food available like here. After a few days I learned that it's actually about the same price to eat a decent meal in a restaurant/cafe (nothing fancy, but much higher quality than McDonalds). They must have some sort of fast food tax or something pushing the prices up.

This site is pretty good at tracking and comparing living expenses around the world.
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/city_result.jsp?country=Norway&city=Oslo&displayCurrency=EUR

The inexpensive restaurant entry is higher than what I experienced, but that was a couple of years ago and also they'd be working with an average while I would have been picking the cheapest restaurants and the cheapest thing on a menu.

coylemj

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

My first few days there I ate mostly junk food like McDonalds thinking it would be the cheapest food available like here. After a few days I learned that it's actually about the same price to eat a decent meal in a restaurant/cafe (nothing fancy, but much higher quality than McDonalds). They must have some sort of fast food tax or something pushing the prices up.

That might explain why the cheapest 'meal deal' in a BK in Oslo was over €10 for a basic burger and fries. We were off a cruise ship and didn't risk anything more than a coffee when ashore.

jjbrien

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

I visited Trondheim a couple of years ago and it was very expensive. I was a student at the time tho, so the price of a pint was probably the most memorable part of the trip. It was about €10 average for a pint of the cheapest beer.

My first few days there I ate mostly junk food like McDonalds thinking it would be the cheapest food available like here. After a few days I learned that it's actually about the same price to eat a decent meal in a restaurant/cafe (nothing fancy, but much higher quality than McDonalds). They must have some sort of fast food tax or something pushing the prices up.

This site is pretty good at tracking and comparing living expenses around the world.
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/city_result.jsp?country=Norway&city=Oslo&displayCurrency=EUR

The inexpensive restaurant entry is higher than what I experienced, but that was a couple of years ago and also they'd be working with an average while I would have been picking the cheapest restaurants and the cheapest thing on a menu.

As far as i remeber there is a big tax on fast food in Norway. When visting Bergen a few years ago I got a takeaway Lanange from a 711 store it costed 10 euro with a drink :eek: they heated it but it was still half cold. We walked around the corner and there was a TGI Fridays there doing a meal cheaper than what I paid the convenience store. Big tip for saving money is to eat out of a supermarket if you can. Also dont buy coke or pepsi in a small shop or a centra kinda of place. You can get 2 liters of it in a supermarket for the same cost. If you are prepaired to go off the beaten path to where the locals hang out you can save quiet a bit of money on food and drink. Most tourists who visit Olso get a meal down at the Aker Byrgge or Karl Johan Gate (The main street where the royal palace is and the parliament) then they wonder why it cost so much, just like going to Rome and eating looking at the Colosseum your going to pay way more. Theres an area of Olso called gronland and you would be supprised the food and drink there are almost at Dublin prices.

Tabnabs

Just be careful if you do go to Grønland as crime can be an issue with pickpocketing and muggings. No different from any capital city, just take standard precautions.

Norway is also outside the EU so be sure and take advantage of duty free booze in the airport. You can also claim tax back if you buy items over a certain value. http://www.visitnorway.com/uk/what-to-do/shopping-in-norway/tax-free-shopping-in-norway/