In planning mode - how much budget should I keep in mind for Norway - any experiences?
I stayed in Bergen and Oslo and was shocked by costs. A coffee was $5, pizza was $25, and beer $1Buses cost $4.50 each, and trains to Flam were $40. Tips weren’t pushed, but I rounded bills up. My average daily spend was $105, with some days hitting $130 when I did fjord trips. If you’re planning, $100 daily is safe for meals, transport, and tips. Norway is breathtaking but unforgiving on the wallet - cooking and sticking to free hikes saved me.
Meals: $12-15 casual, $30-40 restaurant. Transport: $4 local tickets, $30+ long-distance. Tips: 5-10%. Safe daily budget: $90-100 for meals, rides, and tips. Add $50 on days with excursions like fjord tours. Norway is known for high food and alcohol prices, but cooking your own meals keeps costs down. For a month, $3,000 is realistic if you mix supermarket meals with restaurant visits. Nature is free, but everything else adds up quickly.
I averaged about $120 per day in Norway. Restaurant lunches were $20, dinners $35-40, and beers were $10 each. Transport was efficient, with a daily transport pass in Oslo for $1Tips were 10%. At this budget, I could eat out daily, use trains between cities, and take part in activities like fjord cruises ($50-70). Norway is pricey but very smooth to travel. If you want comfort and occasional extras, $110-130 daily is a realistic figure for meals, transport, and tips.
Norway is one of the most expensive countries in Europe. A simple fast-food meal costs $12-15, and a sit-down restaurant dinner is $25-35. Public transport in Oslo is efficient but pricey, around $4 per ticket, and intercity trains or buses are $30-60. Tipping is not big, usually rounding up or 5-10% in restaurants. If you self-cater from supermarkets (where sandwiches are $5-7) and avoid restaurants, you can live on $60-70 daily. For hiking, nature is free, so the scenery balances the high food costs.