Norway on a Budget

In May, 2015 my partner at the time and I decided to rent an economy car and drive around Norway, hitting all the key fjords and cities of note. We were both broke, PhD students and so the prospect of this gas-guzzling journey around one of the world's most infamously expensive countries was slightly daunting. However, we were determined to do it inexpensively and properly. We achieved this by deciding to camp half the time, and Airbnb the other half with only one night spent in a slightly swanky hotel in Ålesund. It was one of the most magical trips of my life so I've decided to share how I did it cheaply, so you can enjoy the country's many delights too.

Flights to Norway are actually really cheap

Norweigan Air is really affordable, and if you're already in Europe when you travel you can use Ryanair or Easyjet, which are Europe's budget airlines. We booked our round trip to Oslo from London for 20 pounds, or about 28 dollars. I would then highly recommend renting a car as the best way to see Norway is by driving it. The winding roads, unfathomably long tunnels and ferry crossings make driving this country an unforgettable experience. Also, Norway does have some famous train journeys but it is not as connected via rail as England, France or Italy so don't expect to be able to easily get to all the most notable nature spots by rail.

Eat Cheap Food, i.e. gas station hot dogs, store brand, local takeaway

If you opt to drive, then prepare yourself for long stretches of drive along fjords and mountain passes without much in between towns and villages other than gas/petrol stations. Because there are lots of truckers, like you expect in the US on a road trip these fill-up stations often have a little table of free coffee ready, as long as you buy something from them. They also always have really filling hotdogs ready to go, which are affordable and easy to eat on the road! Eating food in Norway, even McDonald's can easily break the bank. So, befriend the gas station hotdogs if you want to keep to your budget and save eating out for when you want to explore the cities. Or, splurge on Norweigan Pizzas like we did when we were drunk in Ålesund, the image quality there is poor but do you see how they cut it in haphazard squares...reminds me of school lunch.

Airbnb it and Meet Locals

When we stayed in Stavanger, Bergen and Trondheim we stayed in Airbnbs with locals who were so helpful about what we should see and do. It was our first time using Airbnb and it was honestly the best introduction! In Stavanger, out host Dave worked at a local theme park and gave us free entry to it the next day, he also went out of his way to take us on a night hike to a waterfall that we would never have found on our own. It was incredible. In Bergen we stayed with Felix who has a swanky bachelor pad in town that overlooked the bay. Felix gave us the low down on where to eat in town and about he nightlife. It also happened to be basically one of the only sunshiny days of the year there, we were told, so we were very fortunate. Then in Trondheim we stayed with Lars, who was a cool university student and lived in the most beautiful flat up in the rafters of an old building with lots of wooden beams and charm exuding everywhere. We played guitar hero, watched a film and drank whiskey with Lars before he politely told us to go out and explore the city! He drew us a little map of all his favorite places and recommend beautifully arty cafes.

Camp anywhere!

It is free and legal to wild camp anywhere in Norway as long as it is not private property. Originally, we had planned to camp a lot more on our hikes but because it was May it was actually really snowy in many places and were just unable to camp as much as we wanted to. However, a few campsites around the fjords have little two person cabins for rent that are super affordable, probably as much as any campsite fee would cost in most other western countries. So we took this option for a few days and it was one of the best parts of the trip.

Avoid Alcohol

Alcohol is extremely expensive in Norway. To the point that locals who bring alcohol to a party will leave again with the bottle if it is all not consumed. A pint of beer can be as high as 10 dollars in a regular bar. This is partially because most of the alcohol is imported with high tariffs but it also due to government intervention to try to curb alcoholism in the country, because Norway is so far north it remains very dark in the winter months and people more susceptible to loneliness and depression have developed a dependency on alcohol. If you want to bring your own alcohol in your suitcases know that you are only allowed to bring in the equivalent of six bottles of wine. There are some good local ciders available in Norway which are less pricey.

Plan your drive around Fjords

The best of Norway is to be seen outdoors. And luckily enjoying nature is mostly free, unless you're planning to ski or participate in extreme sports that require equipment. For hiking, wild swimming, camping and long-distance trekking you can enjoy nearly endless realms of beauty. If you plan your route to take in Norway's best fjords: Lysefjord, Hardangerfjord, Sognefjord, Geirangerfjord, then you will be hard pressed not to uncover dozens of spectacular views and hikes nearby. Hike up to Pulpit Rock and Troll's Tongue for incredible vistas over the fjord for free! Camp at the top and eat store brand pasta and you're in for a very inexpensive and magical trip. You can also plan to visit some of Norway's famous Medieval wooden churches en route that are unique and filled with history.