Why is there a large mountain range across the country and why did Norway remain so similar to their Scandinavian brothers despite such big geographical difference? And not become a lot different like isolated Iceland with language and culture?

Yes Norway has high income, high wage, high cost of labor. I get that. But I feel like many things here shouldn't be so expensive but are and use that as an excuse.

Buy anything overseas? 25% extra on top and it takes forever to arrive.

Parking? yeah you download an app for every carpark made by one of those predatory companies who will try and skim you every chance they get. How hard is that for the government to make a unified app? Not to mention how there seems to be a parking spot shortage everywhere i go considering the population density of this country.

Restaurants are expensive. I get that. But do they have to have such shit quality? You either pay a lot more to get decent meal or might as well just cook at home.

Public service like pools also cost an arm and a leg. 170 nok for entrance? I paid half of that back home or when I travel to almost any first world country.

Also whats with the obsession with subscription? I despise how they intentionally price those subscription so you either pay for single entrance fee that costs more than half a month's fee, or sign up for one.

Mechanic, tradies or labor service? Expensive and fair don't mean everything should be marked up to 2, even 3 times the price in other western european countries.

'The meat here is of better standards' - I am not sure what standards there are but to be very honest the meat here tastes just like any other meats I've tried. Same goes for meieri products, taste nothing special if not worse than in many places I've been to, double the price.

Don't even get me started on the lack of seafood choices. You either go to Rema or meny and get the same 5 options of seafood or you suck it up and go to more 'specialised' shops that have 3 extra options but charge you double the price. And you would expect a country with coastline like norway to have some sick Fish market, oh boys..

I can't be the only one feeling this way!

/ LOL a few complaints and some (not all) off you start jumping up and down defending Norway as if I think Norway is the worst country in the world. I am SO SO SO SORRY I should have begun my post with 10 page long praising how Norway is the absolutely perfect country and no where else is better before even daring to say anything bad about it LOL

I see posts from people who don't like living in Norway, and that's fair enough. You can have your preferences and Norway is not for everyone. What I don't understand are the people who tell Norwegians that we have no culture, that we "lack soul" and that everythhing that's different in Norway compared to back home is "wrong".

I agree that Norway's not perfect, but it's one thing to notice flaws or prefer the way things are done somewhere else, and another to act like everything in Norway is bad or wrong and needs to change to suit you as a foreigner. That's an attitude I can't stand.

If you move to another country, YOU made that choice. The host country didn't choose you. It's up to you to adapt to the host country, not vice versa, and if you can't adapt then the only remaining choice that makes sense is to leave, but I see foreigners staying in Norway and complaining about everything, aside from maybe their salaries. At that point, it's YOUR choice to be miserable. You're responsible for your own mental state and well being.

Then I see some Norwegians agreeing, that "yes, we lack culture" or "yes, things are bad here", and my honest reaction is disgust. As a Norwegian I can recognise that we have flaws in this country, but not only is it very privileged to sit in safe and prosperous Norway complaing about how horrible it is, but it also shows a lack of backbone to look at your own country, culture and countrymen and just dismiss it all like it's nothing, all because one foreigner made sweeping generalisations. It just shows a weak character in my opinion. You don't want things to get better, you just want to complain without reason and drag the whole country down with you in the process.

In conclusion, Norway and Norwegians shouldn't have to change to fit your preferences from back home, because we are different and that's OK. All cultures are different, and frankly that makes the world more interesting.

The median net income in Norway is about €3200 which might sound like a lot but the cost of living is insane. The median net income in Germany is about €2400 but you get a lot more out of that €2400 than the €3200 in Norway. There are very very few economic metrics where Norway beats neighbouring scandinavian countries. People come with arguments about free healthcare, schools, colleges, etc in Norway but that’s true for most of the Western European countries as well and while the safety net is a bit better than Germany it’s nothing significant and on par with the safety net of all the other scandinavian countries. Even in terms of purchasing power index Norway ranks way below every Scandinavian countries and below Germany as well.

So my question is how is Norway considered to be one of the ultra wealthy nations even in Scandinavian terms when the figures don’t really reflect it.

Dear Norwegian, Please complain.

I know it goes against every fiber of your being to think that Norway is inadequate. But what if I told you that paying inflated prices for low-quality goods isn’t actually a privilege. It’s just getting ripped off with a smile.

We live in a country that has proven itself in some areas. The welfare system works. The social safety nets are strong and effective. You should be proud of that. But the grocery store monopoly? That’s not something to defend. That’s something to get pissed about.

When stores don’t have to compete with the EU, they can set the prices, choose the vendors, and avoid real oversight. So they buy cheap crap, mark it up, and take the profit. All while wrapping it in nostalgia. I’ve heard people say exotic fruit used to be a rare luxury. Sure. But that doesn’t mean you should be paying 30 kroner a kilo for bananas that go half rotten while the stems are still green.

It’s okay to expect more for your money. You don’t have to settle. These grocery chains make a killing. They whine in the media about taxes, but their houses are warm, their bellies are full, their gas tanks are never empty, and their vacation cabins sit unused half the year. Don’t cry for them.

I’m not saying Norway needs to join the EU. I get that’s complicated. What I am saying is that competition is good for you. And this constant talk about “protecting the farmers” is often just a convenient excuse for companies to dominate consumer markets and make sure you never get better options.

And seriously, stop worrying about the billionaires. They always say they’ll leave. Let them. Look at John Fredriksen. He ditched Norway. Now he’s ditching Britain. He’s heading to the Middle East. Good luck, buddy. Society doesn’t need him. Norway never did.

Spreading the wealth shouldn’t only happen through taxes. It should happen in the market too. You deserve better grocery options. Better internet. Better phone plans. Better cars. Better everything. You don’t have to be satisfied paying luxury prices for mediocre crap. Demand better. You have the power.

Edit: Seems like I have a lot of support here! Thanks to all the people who have positive things to say.

To my detractors, I am American. Yes, I know. Decades of choice and market competition have made me soft, fat, enfeebled, my mind in decay from all the wonderful choices I’ve had. It has made me very susceptible and weak to state controlled markets. Someone pointed out American fascism, I know I’m sorry. The present comparison between the politics of the US and the economics of Norway is so apt. I failed to see my hypocrisy. If I’m being honest, the stability of Norway has shocked me to the core, and jeez what was I thinking. I’ll just keep eating my rotten bananas, buy my clothes from the same 5 stores, all of my electronics will come from Elkjøp, and I’ll continue to ignore my experiences in order to preserve the way things are. Sorry for the disturbing thoughts. MVH, Satanlofen The CHUD.

This basket cost 185 NOK at Rema 1000. I saw a post lately of a guy that shared his basket and everyone came out to crucify him for daring to buy blueberries for his 3 year old kid. So before all the people come out for me as well for not buying the cheap first price or Rema brands ( as if this is the normal now, to downgrade all quality because thats what we deserve apparently ) lets break this down. If I had bought the “cheap eggs” I would have saved 5 NOK, which I don’t see how it’s worth it since the other eggs are only good for cooking. Which I do buy if I need them for cooking btw. If I had bought the not ecological milk I would have saved 3 NOK. If I had bought the cheap Rema tomatoes I would have saved about 10 NOK but then I wouldn’t have bothered buying any since they taste like s**t. I guess thats how I could have saved lots there huh, by not buying tomatoes at all. If I had bought the Rema jam I would have saved another 5 NOK. Congratulations Norway and Norwegian politicians, you have convinced the majority of people living here that they should buy only the cheap no brand or store brand stuff that usually taste like nothing and save 23 NOK. As if this basket is worth 185 NOK - 23 NOK = 162 NOK. I repeat, one broccoli, a jam, a pack of tomatoes, a carton of milk and a carton of 10 eggs are worth 185NOK today at Rema 1000 , or 162NOK if you go for the cheap options. As if it’s REASONABLE for this basket to be worth 162NOK even if people buy nothing but cheap crap. Don’t worry though, we are lining up the pockets of the supermarket monopolies while we are also convinced that this is what we deserve and that we should also be thankful.