The downsides of life in the Norwegian mountains you should know about
Life in the Norwegian mountains is as fantastic as the surroundings are beautiful, but there are a few downsides you should be aware of.
Everyone has dreamed of a simple life up in the mountains, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Given Norway's abundance of stunning scenery and there being plenty of opportunities for skiing, snowboarding, biking and hiking, the thought can soon become a very attractive proposition.
Life in the mountains isn't without its downsides, though, and having lived in a mountain village for a year myself, I am well aware of some of the drawbacks, although I must admit I warmed to life there much quicker than I did in Oslo.
READ MORE: The downsides of Oslo you should be aware of before moving there
Finding work
One of the most significant and practical drawbacks can be finding work. While there is plenty of work to be had, this can mostly be in retail, hospitality, or tourism in small mountain towns and villages.
You can also find work if you have a trade or have the relevant language skills and qualifications to work with the local authorities.
However, overall, finding work will be much, much trickier than in more built-up areas. For some, this may mean compromising a bit on their career to pursue a life in the mountains.
However, the rise of remote working has made this a lot less of an issue than it was previously.
Lack of amenities
This is a bit of a no-brainer, but you can't expect plenty of shops and restaurants around, even in areas with high levels of tourism.
For example, where I lived, there were plenty of sportswear shops in the village, but the nearest stores for more everyday clothes were in the next town, 40 minutes away.
Add that to the fact that online shopping in Norway is a lot more cumbersome than in other countries and you could be feeling cut off from your conveniences.
Although, areas with lots of tourist traffic aren't hit quite as hard. The reason is that most supermarkets in rural areas, but with lots of tourists, will typically remain open on Sundays, which means no more rushing around for a convince store because you didn't buy enough groceries the day before.
You'll need a car
This will be the hardest to get around out of all downsides on this list. Put simply, you'll need a car to get around. The reason being is that public transport isn't that all well connected. If you don't live near a train station, then there is the very real possibility that there'll only be three or four buses in and out of your local area a day.
Given how expensive and rigorous it is to get a licence in Norway, it also means that moving and then getting a licence wouldn't be as much of an option either.
Higher bills
The winters in the mountains are a lot colder in the city. Additionally, the houses are a lot bigger, meaning you'll need the heating on longer and more often.
As a rule of thumb, the further away from the grid you live, the more you can expect to pay for electricity, too, as it costs firms more to power your homes.
So while it'll be cheaper to buy a house or rent, bills will be higher than in urban areas.
Tourists can occasionally detract from the charm of the town
Tourism is a booming industry in Norway, and visitors can contribute massive sums to the local economy of mountain towns.
However, tourists can outnumber year-round residents by three or four to one at certain times of the year. And while most tourists are fantastic guests, and they help keep people in jobs and businesses open, it can also feel as if they are scrubbing away the charm of the town.
Making friends can be a bit challenging
It can be harder to make friends in rural areas than in the cities, especially if you are new to the country.
There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, there are fewer places to hang out or socialise. Additionally, there are fewer people to befriend because there are fewer people in general.
Another factor that many newcomers to the country will join groups made up of other foreign residents on social media. The groups will host regular meetups, or people new to the area can post asking if there was anybody who'd like to meet for a coffee or beer.
Unfortunately, there isn't really an opportunity to do this in rural areas, as there will be far fewer foreign residents.
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Everyone has dreamed of a simple life up in the mountains, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Given Norway's abundance of stunning scenery and there being plenty of opportunities for skiing, snowboarding, biking and hiking, the thought can soon become a very attractive proposition.
Life in the mountains isn't without its downsides, though, and having lived in a mountain village for a year myself, I am well aware of some of the drawbacks, although I must admit I warmed to life there much quicker than I did in Oslo.
READ MORE: The downsides of Oslo you should be aware of before moving there
Finding work
One of the most significant and practical drawbacks can be finding work. While there is plenty of work to be had, this can mostly be in retail, hospitality, or tourism in small mountain towns and villages.
You can also find work if you have a trade or have the relevant language skills and qualifications to work with the local authorities.
However, overall, finding work will be much, much trickier than in more built-up areas. For some, this may mean compromising a bit on their career to pursue a life in the mountains.
However, the rise of remote working has made this a lot less of an issue than it was previously.
Lack of amenities
This is a bit of a no-brainer, but you can't expect plenty of shops and restaurants around, even in areas with high levels of tourism.
For example, where I lived, there were plenty of sportswear shops in the village, but the nearest stores for more everyday clothes were in the next town, 40 minutes away.
Add that to the fact that online shopping in Norway is a lot more cumbersome than in other countries and you could be feeling cut off from your conveniences.
Although, areas with lots of tourist traffic aren't hit quite as hard. The reason is that most supermarkets in rural areas, but with lots of tourists, will typically remain open on Sundays, which means no more rushing around for a convince store because you didn't buy enough groceries the day before.
You'll need a car
This will be the hardest to get around out of all downsides on this list. Put simply, you'll need a car to get around. The reason being is that public transport isn't that all well connected. If you don't live near a train station, then there is the very real possibility that there'll only be three or four buses in and out of your local area a day.
Given how expensive and rigorous it is to get a licence in Norway, it also means that moving and then getting a licence wouldn't be as much of an option either.
Higher bills
The winters in the mountains are a lot colder in the city. Additionally, the houses are a lot bigger, meaning you'll need the heating on longer and more often.
As a rule of thumb, the further away from the grid you live, the more you can expect to pay for electricity, too, as it costs firms more to power your homes.
So while it'll be cheaper to buy a house or rent, bills will be higher than in urban areas.
Tourists can occasionally detract from the charm of the town
Tourism is a booming industry in Norway, and visitors can contribute massive sums to the local economy of mountain towns.
However, tourists can outnumber year-round residents by three or four to one at certain times of the year. And while most tourists are fantastic guests, and they help keep people in jobs and businesses open, it can also feel as if they are scrubbing away the charm of the town.
Making friends can be a bit challenging
It can be harder to make friends in rural areas than in the cities, especially if you are new to the country.
There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, there are fewer places to hang out or socialise. Additionally, there are fewer people to befriend because there are fewer people in general.
Another factor that many newcomers to the country will join groups made up of other foreign residents on social media. The groups will host regular meetups, or people new to the area can post asking if there was anybody who'd like to meet for a coffee or beer.
Unfortunately, there isn't really an opportunity to do this in rural areas, as there will be far fewer foreign residents.
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