As Soon As I Arrived in Norway, on the Second Day I Already Had the Interview and They Told Me Yes, Laura Said About Her First Job.

Laura Prieto left Spain to start a new working life in Norway, one of the European countries known for its high salaries and high cost of living. After settling in and starting to work there, the Spaniard explained how much one can earn and why a salary that seems high in euros can end up being much tighter within the Norwegian economy. Her first salary seemed high seen from Spain: 22 euros per hour and around 35 on Sundays.

But once settled, Prieto began to measure those figures against the country's prices and wages. "You have to think that you are in Norway, you have to aspire to a good Norwegian salary. Here in Norway that is like a little bit," she explained.

"As soon as I arrived in Norway, on the second day I already had the interview and they told me yes, Laura said about her first job. The start, however, had a delay. She needed to obtain the D-Number, the tax identification number used by foreigners working in the country, and had to wait about three weeks to complete the procedure.

When she finally started, she entered the cleaning sector; she earned 22 euros per hour and on Sundays she could receive around 35. Although she acknowledged that the salary "is not bad, living in Norway quickly changed her reference. Prieto also considered that there were better-paid jobs and began to look for alternatives. She lived on a tourist island in the north of the country and decided to try to get in as a guide.

She sent resumes by email and wrote directly to companies via Instagram. She currently works for six different companies and does tours of northern lights, fjords, and snowmobiles. Official data help put that first paycheck in context.

Statistics Norway reported that the average monthly salary in Norway was 62,070 kroner in 2025, considering all workers. The figure does not mean that all employees earn that amount. Income changes considerably depending on profession, sector, experience, number of hours, and extras.

That point helps understand Laura's phrase. Twenty-two euros per hour can be striking when converted directly to another currency, but within the Norwegian market they must be compared with local remuneration. There are also important differences between activities.

Tourism, hospitality, services, construction, or specialized jobs do not necessarily move within the same salary scale. That is why Prieto decided to combine jobs. Some of her contracts as a guide work "on call": a company can offer her an excursion for the next day and she accepts or rejects it depending on her availability.

English was fundamental to enter tourism. She also noted that German, French, or Italian can expand job possibilities while she uses Spanish on some tours. Norwegian income coexists with high prices.

In 2025, the household consumption price level was 286% higher than the European Union average, according to Statistics Norway. Housing shows that difference clearly. The average monthly rent for a two-room property was 11,790 kroner in 2025 for the country as a whole.

In Oslo and Bærum, the same home reached an average of 15,260 kroner. In Bergen it was 11,870 and in Trondheim 11,850 kroner per month. Prices also continued to advance in 2026. Between June 2025 and June 2026, the consumer price index increased 27%. Those numbers explain why a salary that seems high from Spain can take on another dimension after paying rent, food, transportation, and other daily expenses in Norway.