Norway on a budget

Less expensive to travel to Norway

In recent years, Norway has been quietly becoming cheaper and cheaper, especially if you are travelling with dollars, euros, pounds, or Danish kroner in your wallet. The Norwegian krone (NOK) is historically weak, which means that travelling to Norway has become more affordable for most visitors! Especially for Americans – who get 23 percent more value for every dollar they spend than just five years ago.

How to travel more affordably in Norway

1. Book as early as possible

That way you have a far better chance of securing discounts and the most affordable tickets for flights, trains, and buses – and the best rates on accommodation.

If you want to travel with public transport, it's a good idea to use the Entur app or website. You can use it to plan your whole trip from A to Z by plotting in your destinations and getting the best travel suggestions for trains, buses and boats. You can also hire an EV at affordable rates.

There are many beautiful train journeys in Norway that take you past some of the most scenic mountains and the fjords on the planet.

Travelling by long distance bus is also a great way to discover Norway, especially if you want to travel to destinations in Fjord Norway and Southern Norway.

Find your next destination with NOR-WAY bussekspress or Vy Express.

2. Travel in the off-season

This is a clever way to get cheaper accommodation and transportation, and you won’t have to share the popular attractions with quite as many people. You can also save money if you travel like a local, by public transport. The peak season in Norway is during school holidays, especially from mid-June to mid-August. May, early June, late August and September are excellent months to explore Norway in a less expensive and less crowded way.

Travelling in the spring or autumn can also be unique experiences. Winter in Norway, with landscapes covered in snow, skiing, and indoor kos is an adventure in itself. If you want to go skiing in a less expensive way, choose January or early April (except Easter, when Norwegians flock to the slopes), and seek out bargains between Sundays and Thursdays.

This is also a good time for a workation!

3. Affordable accommodation

Norway has around 1,000 camping sites with space for motorhomes, tents, and caravans. It's crucial to book a slot in advance if you are travelling in the high season. Most camping sites have cabins for rent, from the very basic to the highly luxurious. In hostels, boarding houses, guest houses, apartments, and inns you can often get lodging at an even more reasonable rate. Or how about spending the night on a farm or in a cosy cabin?

If you want to stay in a hotel, you might actually get better offers during weekends in the big cities, especially if you stay from Sunday to Monday. Hotel accommodation in Norway can be quite reasonably priced, 1,725 NOK on average (in 2024), around 148 euros or $164 for a double room that includes breakfast.

Another tip is to travel together with your extended family or a group of friends. That way, you can rent a large cabin, flat, or house and use it as a base, which can cut costs significantly.

Rent your very own private holiday home through DanCenter, Campcation, Norgesbooking and more.

4. See stunning Norwegian nature for free

It doesn't have to cost you anything but calories to explore our world-famous mountains, lakes, fjords, and waterfalls. Norway's beautiful nature is open 24/7 and is totally free, including our famous scenic routes.

Norway is a natural playground where you can enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, cycling, skiing, kayaking, and climbing, and enjoy scenic nature and lovely towns and cities.

It might be a good investment to join one of the many guided activities offered all over the country, however. A guide can often add an extra dimension to your experience. Many places rent out equipment such as bikes, skis, canoes, kayaks, climbing harnesses, and more at reasonable rates.

5. Enjoy Friluftsliv

Some of the best things in life are both free and good for you. Friluftsliv is the Norwegian term for 'enjoying the great outdoors', and it is an integrated part of our DNA. Just remember that we are all guardians of this natural treasure. Please don’t leave any rubbish behind, and show respect for people, wildlife, and nature.

Thanks to Norway's right to roam, you can pitch a tent or sleep under the stars in the countryside, forests, or mountains, as long as you stay at least 150 metres away from the nearest inhabited house or cabin. Places with many travellers might have stricter camping restrictions, though, so make sure to check with the local tourist office in advance.

6. Explore national parks

Norway's national parks are a way of preserving our most beautiful and important natural treasures. You’re more than welcome to explore them, as long as you do so respectfully. Don’t leave anything behind and stick to the marked trails. Always take your rubbish with you.

Be aware that nature can be merciless too, so make sure to bring the right equipment for any trips and check the weather forecast. Before heading for new wilderness adventures, make sure to check our guide on how to behave in nature.

7. Go on a cycling holiday

A great way to experience Norway up close is by hopping on a bike. April to October is the best time to go, but in very popular areas, like the Lofoten Islands, it is better to avoid the high season from mid-June to mid-August. If you visit off-season, there will also be less traffic and you can find affordable accommodation more easily.

Check out Norway’s cycling-friendly destinations, where you can rent road bikes, mountain bikes, and electric bikes, and even find bike-friendly accommodation. You can also buy pre-planned cycling trips, some of which even offer to transport your luggage for you.

8. Buy local food

Having the opportunity to cook for own meals will work wonders for your budget. Prepare an unforgettable picnic or dinner using local delicacies without breaking the bank.

Drop by a farm shop or delicatessen, or a regular grocery shop. Many supermarkets stock locally sourced food, especially in the countryside. Buy cheeses from the area – several of them are amongst the best in the world – rich butter, cold cuts, sausages, and freshly baked bread. In Oslo, you can get trendy street food at an affordable price at Vippa or Oslo Street Food in Torggata.

If you want to learn more about our weird and wonderful food, or how to prepare authentic Norwegian meals, head over to the Norwegian Cookbook!

9. Affordable restaurants

Most Norwegian towns and cities have eateries in all price ranges. You can often get today’s special, based on fresh ingredients, for a reasonable sum. Make sure to try local dishes like bacalao, fish soup, or maybe even moose burger – all lovely food within your spending limit. And why not try Norwegian treats such as waffles, cinnamon buns, and lefser? They’re rich in energy and flavour and often sold in 3 for 2 deals, etc.

10. Tasty drinks

A proper water bottle that keeps its contents cold is a good investment. Fill it with crystal clear, free water straight from the tap: delicious, healthy, and free.

Consider treating yourself to an amazingly fresh eplemost (Norwegian apple juice). And yes, we do love a pint in the sun, but not necessarily in the most expensive bar in town. Most places in Norway sell beer, including local microbreweries, farmers’ markets, and grocery shops.

Trendy and delicious Norwegian cider is a delicacy that is sold at Vinmonopolet (the state off licence), supermarkets, and local producers.

11. Free urban activities

There are many ways to cut costs while visiting our cities, which are compact and easy to explore by foot. Check out our recommended city walks in Oslo, Bergen, Tromsø, Stavanger and Trondheim. You can also enjoy some really nice real hikes close to all our cities, especially Bergen and Tromsø.

During summer, there are also many public open air markets and festivals that are for free, including both music and food events, and even some Medieval and Viking festivals. There are many free things to do in Oslo, including taking a lazy stroll along the beautiful harbour promenade, Havnepromenaden.

Most of our most beautiful parks and gardens are also free.

12. Stay longer, save money

A good way to cut expenses is to stay in one place for a longer period of time and spend your money on local adventures rather than travel costs. You save both time and money on transport, while still experiencing a lot. Many travellers bite off more than they can chew when planning a holiday in Norway, where the distances can be surprisingly long, which means they miss out on many local gems.

Heading to a less well-known spot is also a good tip!

Check out 25 wonderful places in Norway that are off the beaten track.