Thinking About Moving to Norway? Think Again.

Overview

A Norwegian resident, Bjørn, argues that although Norway offers many advantages—wealth, a high-trust society, strong safety, and excellent nature—it may still be a poor place to “grow old” financially. He particularly emphasizes challenges for ambitious people and small business owners.

Tax Burden and Retirement Concerns

Bjørn says Norway’s tax system is the primary reason he doubts he can save enough for retirement. His main points include:

• Taxes apply broadly, including value-added tax (VAT), which he notes is often cited as 25%.
• The overall tax burden steadily reduces the portion of income he can actually keep.
• He describes a long-term feeling of being drained financially—saying he has been “bled… slowly but surely dry,” even after years of work.
• For his one-person small business, he finds tax compliance and tracking overwhelming.

“Exit Tax” and Business Mobility

He also criticizes policies aimed at entrepreneurs, especially an “exit tax.” In his view, it can take nearly half the value of a company if someone leaves the country.

Healthcare Experience

On healthcare, Bjørn claims the public system did not help with a neurological issue. Instead, he says he was offered primarily:

• Symptom-management, such as pills/antidepressants
• Not treatment aimed at addressing the underlying cause

Incentives for Earning More

He suggests that for people with higher incomes (but not extreme wealth), additional effort to earn more may be unattractive because much of it disappears into taxes. For example:

• He references paid lecture work and estimates that roughly half the earnings would be taken in taxes before reaching his private account.

Lifestyle, Income Flexibility, and Retirement Savings

Bjørn also says that despite having careers like novelist and YouTuber (including running multiple YouTube channels), he sometimes cannot afford the flexibility he expected. He reports:

• Retirement savings still feel out of reach
• Even maintaining a “simple life”—such as covering basic costs like food and a car—is difficult at his income level

Despite the Criticism

Even with his strong complaints, he emphasizes that he:

• Loves Norway
• Enjoys living near nature
• Remains increasingly unhappy due to financial constraints

Presenters/Contributors

• Bjørn (video speaker)