Norway is a country which gets a bad reputation for being expensive with its capital city, Oslo, the worst culprit. Justified? I’m afraid so. Food and alcohol all come at a price but Oslo is a city worth visiting and we found it to be particularly good for us, travelling as a family. Here’s some ways you can cut a few costs and save when visiting the Norwegian capital.
1. Don’t drink alcohol in restaurants. Booze is very expensive so don’t expect to have a wild night out unless you’re loaded. If you do, anticipate spending £10-15 for a smallish glass of wine and £8-10 for a beer.
2. If you want to drink, buy alcohol at duty free before your flight or at Oslo airport and drink it before/after you go out. The Norwegian government tries to prevent alcohol consumption with high taxes and limits on alcohol (it’s only available to buy from government-owned stores) so getting it without the tax is the cheapest way.
3. Tap water is safe to drink so make sure you order it at restaurants and fill up any water bottles from the tap.
4. If staying at a hotel and your breakfast is included (most provide a buffet breakfast), stock up on lunch. We made our sandwiches and took some fruit to have later in the day. A bit cheeky but there was an abundance of food and no one seemed to mind.
5. Don’t get a regular cab, they are hellishly expensive. In fact, don’t get cabs at all. But if you need to (and with two children in tow and lots of luggage we did), use Uber. It worked out a third of the price! One taxi we got outside our hotel charged £20 to go a couple of miles. On the way back Uber charged £7.
6. Visit museums when they have a free day. On Thursdays several museums in Olso are free such as the National Gallery of Contemporary Art (which houses Edvard Munch’s The Scream), the National Museum of Architecture and Museum of Decorative Art and Design. Check the Visit Oslo website for more information.
7. If you are staying in the capital for a couple of days or planning to visit a lot of the tourist sights, consider buying the Oslo Pass which gets you free travel on public transport and free entry into a number of museum, bus tours and discounts in restaurants.
8. Avoid buying unnecessary items. A bit obvious, I know, but my hubby didn’t expect to pay £10 for two large bars of chocolate and a packet Haribo. Ouch! Bring your own treats if you want them and this isn’t the city to go on a shopping spree. If want to buy food, avoid kiosks in a touristy areas but try supermarkets like Rema 1000 and KIWI instead.
10. Enjoy the free attractions. The Vigeland sculpture Park, Akershus Fortress, Norwegian National Opera and Ballet and Botanical Gardens are just some of the sights which you can enjoy for free all year round.
Have you been to Oslo? What other tips do you have for saving money when visiting the Norwegian capital?
I haven’t been to Norway yet but these tips will certainly come in handy! It is a bit off-putting when you hear how expensive it is! But that won’t keep me from going! #CityTripping
Good. It shouldn’t put you off. Worth seeing!
You know cost is one of the main reasons after nearly 10 years living in the UK I only visited the Scandi’s once – clever little hacks can cerainly help you save a packet to go and see such a beautiful place
Haha – expensive but worth seeing. Oslo in particular can be done in a weekend.
Great tips – Oslo is v expensive #citytripping
Wandermust mummy recently posted…A day around Galle, Sri Lanka – a photo journey
It is expensive but lots of free things to do and staying off the alcohol helps the wallet!
Oslo is very much on the upper realms of my wish list but I’m always put off by the price. This post is full of useful advice, a lot of it similar to tips I wrote about for Iceland, another notoriously expensive place. Good to know about the free day at museums. Without a toddler and a baby is it a walkable city? That’s always a good way to save money, and I wonder if bars have happy hours? That’s how we managed to afford a drink in Reykjavik! Glad we’re not the only ones to make lunch from the breakfast buffet!!!
Phoebe | Lou Messugo recently posted…Sunday Photo – 4 September 2016
Haha – I’m glad others do the buffet sneak too. Oslo is very walkable, it’s a small city. We only got one bus and that was mainly because of our daughter. They don’t have happy hours…I think it may be against the law as you aren’t allowed to promote alcohol. Iceland is firmly on my wish list! Will check out your post. x
I remember how expensive Oslo was 🙂 #citytripping
Tanja (the Red phone box travels) recently posted…Museum of London
It’s pretty bad…enjoyed reading your Oslo post on GPSMyCity – we did a similar route to you.
Crikey! £10 for haribo and chocolate is a bit steep! I’ve heard it was notoriously expensive, and interesting on their way to curb alcoholism – I wonder if it works? #citytripping
Megan – Truly Madly Kids recently posted…Exploring London: Kerb Camden
I know – I’m amazed he actually parted with the money. I’m not sure how effective it is…we still saw a lot of people out drinking (although we were there over a weekend).
Brilliant tips and I’d love to go one day. I’ve heard it’s expensive from a few people and the tips to stock up would really help. I’m forever taking fruit from buffets as its so handy through the day. Nipping over the #citytripping linky.
Notmyyearoff recently posted…The beauty of Stirling Castle
Yes, it’s pricey! Definitely good to take fruit/snacks for the day (especially with hungry kids too). Thanks for linking to #citytripping
IT sounds like Oslo is a bit expensive. Is there anything you would recommend buying/trying/doing that might be a bit of a splurge but is totally worth it because it’s special to Oslo? Were crowds terrible on free museum days?
Mandy recently posted…September is… Currently
Hey Mandy, full Oslo post coming next week…we weren’t there to take advantage of the free museum days but it didn’t feel too touristy so I doubt it would be as bad as some places. In terms of splurging on food, we had some incredibly good sushi…the fish there is very fresh.
These are great tips. We had great weather so did Picnic’s and other fun things for meals and that really kept costs down. And yep… if you avoid the alcohol your cost is not that bad! Hopefully this will encourage more people to travel to Oslo because it is so beautiful and easy to get around on public transit! #CityTripping
Elizabeth Newcamp recently posted…The Trip that Almost Wasn’t: Lille, France
It is a great city, fairly small so very walkable but lots to explore. We were only there for a day and could have done with longer.
These are great tips. I’ll be sure to remember them if I ever find myself in Oslo.
Allison recently posted…10 Essential Items to Have in Your Disney World Park Bag
Thanks Allison.
Thank you for the tips. I specially like the one about free museums on Thursdays. I’ve been thinking about Norway for a while now, but it seems to get more and more expensive every year. #citytripping
Upeksha recently posted…A Visit to Hubbard Glacier – Alaska
I know – but worth a visit. I would love to see more of the country.
Every year we pass through Oslo airport en route to skiing and every year we say we should take a peek at the City …. maybe this time!
#citytripping
Catherine’s Cultural Wednesdays recently posted…RANWORTH BROAD
Oh, you should – worth at least a day there! Do you go skiing in Norway then? What’s it like?
I am a big fan of stocking up for the day at the breakfast buffet – cheeky yes, but brilliant! We just did when visiting Acadia National Park – obviously there aren’t a lot of places to eat in a park so we did what we had to do! #citytripping
Corey with fifi + hop recently posted…Western View: A Photographic Tour of Oak Creek, CO
You definitely had to do it. It’s great to hear that I’m not alone in the buffet cheekiness!
Good tips- ouch, I knew Oslo was expensive and had guessed drinking would be pricy but £10 for snacks! Easy to get caught out if you don’t plan. #citytripping
Cathy (Mummytravels) recently posted…City Tripping #43
I know! Ridiculous, ay! That’ll teach him for having a chocolate habit!
I haven’t ever been to Norway but would love to one day and these are great suggestions.
Thanks Cathy!
Ohhhhhhh Oslo! And WOW! I didn’t realise they can get that pricey when it comes to beer? About that lunch packing from the hotel’s breakfast, I do that all the time when the little one was still little. Cheeky like you said but, that’s real money saving tips!
Oh we love Free Days at Museums =)
May {A Million Little Echoes} recently posted…GIVEAWAY: DinoMoov at Changi Airport
Whoops! #CityTripping
May {A Million Little Echoes} recently posted…GIVEAWAY: DinoMoov at Changi Airport
I’m glad I’m not the only one May. It’s a bit cheeky but I figure it’ll only get chucked away otherwise!
I find that alcohol is very expensive in all these Nordic countries, better to stock up in the duty free if you really want to drink some ! Thanks for these tips
Gin recently posted…The caves of Han-sur-Lesse, a beautiful natural wonder
Exactly! Thank you x
Great tips. My parents lived in Norway when I was a kid. I remember my mum being astounded at the cost of living. But in the end we just had to live, learning to manage within our means. I live in Paris now and it’s ain’t cheap here either! #CityTripping
How interesting! Seems like not much has changed then. Yes, Paris is pricey too!
Great tips, we may be going to Copenhagen in November and have heard that is the same. Although we have just been to Dubai which was much the same, great tips about breakfast and lunch. xx
Have a great time. We went last year around that time – it’s a great city and not as expensive as Norway or Sweden – you’ll be pleased to hear. Thanks for linking #citytripping
Ahaha me too sometimes I “hide” things from breakfast buffet for lunch ;)))
Happy to know I’m not the only one ;p
xx
Umberta
Umberta recently posted…Maria Grazia, Nerano
Me too! Definitely feel reassured about doing it. x
Very useful tips. It is expensive in Oslo. We used the Oslo pass when we were there (I had complimentary ones from the tourist board thankfully) so we felt we could spurge on some wine even though the prices were scary.
#notcitytrippingbuthopetogotoacitysoonsoIcancomebacktoyourlinky!
Trish @ Mum’s Gone To recently posted…Dumfries and Galloway road trip – Cavens Hotel
Hey Trish, thanks for stopping by! The city passes in general are really good – we got one in Stockholm. Hoping you get to visit a city soon x
Great tips! Espically the alcohol one. It’s not somewhere I have considered visiting but it sounds like there is loads to do. Thanks for hosting #citytripping xx
Mudpie Fridays recently posted…#RememberingTheseDays Week 9
Thanks for joining in! x
Great tips! We found cheap flights for Oslo over Thanksgiving, but can’t decided between that and elsewhere because Oslo is too expensive for us.
Hope it helps to make your mind up. It’s a good city to experience.
Norway sounds very much like Iceland – we found the booze to be massively over priced! However that didn’t stop me… 🙂 The Oslo pass sounds like a really good idea. Thanks for hosting #CityTripping
Ting at My Travel Monkey recently posted…The Final Monday Escapes on My Travel Monkey
Haha – I know. We went for quality over quantity when it came to the booze!
Great tips will bear in modn when we go next year #thelist
Have a great time!