Uploaded April 2016 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Travel on the cheap in Oslo with these money-saving tips.
It’s no surprise that Oslo is one of the most expensive cities in the world. But for savvy travelers, it doesn’t have to be. Here are my tricks and tips for traveling on the cheap in Norway's capital city.
Download the Oslo Pass
Before you even head to the airport, purchase and download the Oslo Pass app for your iphone or android device. Activate it once you arrive on a day you'd like to set aside for exploring the city's museums. The Oslo Pass is your ticket to get into more than 30 museums and galleries including some of my favorites, the Astrup Fearnley Museum, the National Gallery (home to Edvard Munch's infamous work "The Scream") and the Viking Ship Museum.
The Oslo Pass also covers public transportation costs, which makes getting from one point of interest to the next a breeze. I used a combination of the bus, tram and walking to get from my hotel in the Tjuvholmen arts district to points of interest around town and had no problems finding my way. After logging 30,000 steps one afternoon, I decided to put my feet up and take a cab to dinner. I learned the hard way that taxis are EXPENSIVE in Oslo, even if you're only traveling a couple of miles. Expect to pay a minimum of $25 per ride.
The Oslo Pass is available for 24 hours ($40), 48 hours ($60) and 72 hours ($75). Children and seniors receive a substantial discount.
Dine at the Mathallen Food Hall
Going out to eat in Oslo will put a dent in your wallet if you aren’t careful. So head to Mathallen, an indoor food hall featuring a farmers’ market and international cuisine at affordable prices. Sampling is free, ad the selection is quite impressive, from Spanish tapas and Japanese bento boxes to raw vegan Thai food.
Become a Coffee Connoisseur
Live like a local and spend time at one of Oslo’s hip, third-wave coffee shops. Some of my favorites are Liebling (which also sells quirky home goods), Supreme Roastworks and Tim Wendelboe—run by a World Barista Champion and World Cup Tasters Champion. The move here is to order AeroPress brew, which gives each cup a rich, distinct flavor.
Visit Olso’s Free Parks
Oslo has not one, but two free outdoor sculpture parks. The older of the two, Vigeland Park, represents the lifework of Gustav Vigeland, who dedicated his talents to this project for nearly 20 years.
Ekebergparken has a very different vibe. The sculptures are arranged in pockets that, at times, can seem hidden. You feel as if you’re the first to discover these works by Louise Bourgeois, Hilde Mæhlum, Salvador Dalí, George Cutts Marina Abramović, Auguste Rodin and many others.
Walking from sculpture to sculpture is actually a decent workout. And as another value-add, you’ll actually get to see the view that inspired Edvard Munch’s infamous painting, “The Scream.” Now that’s a pretty good deal.
___
If you value experiences over consumerism, if you think there's more to life than the 9-5, if you want to travel to every country in the world before you die, subscribe to my channel, and let’s see where we end up next: ow.ly/Vx3Xs
Daily Snapchats: JoanJetsetter
Blog: joanjetsetter.com
Twitter: twitter.com/JoanJetsetter
Vine: vine.co/JoanJetsetter
Instagram: instagram.com/JoanJetsetter
Tumblr: joanjetsetter.tumblr.com
Executive Producer: Skye Mayring
Editor: Gerardo Jaquez Lechuga
My trip to Norway was made possible by Hurtigruten and Visit Norway. Views Expressed are my own.
Travel on the cheap in Oslo with these money-saving tips.
It’s no surprise that Oslo is one of the most expensive cities in the world. But for savvy travelers, it doesn’t have to be. Here are my tricks and tips for traveling on the cheap in Norway's capital city.
Download the Oslo Pass
Before you even head to the airport, purchase and download the Oslo Pass app for your iphone or android device. Activate it once you arrive on a day you'd like to set aside for exploring the city's museums. The Oslo Pass is your ticket to get into more than 30 museums and galleries including some of my favorites, the Astrup Fearnley Museum, the National Gallery (home to Edvard Munch's infamous work "The Scream") and the Viking Ship Museum.
The Oslo Pass also covers public transportation costs, which makes getting from one point of interest to the next a breeze. I used a combination of the bus, tram and walking to get from my hotel in the Tjuvholmen arts district to points of interest around town and had no problems finding my way. After logging 30,000 steps one afternoon, I decided to put my feet up and take a cab to dinner. I learned the hard way that taxis are EXPENSIVE in Oslo, even if you're only traveling a couple of miles. Expect to pay a minimum of $25 per ride.
The Oslo Pass is available for 24 hours ($40), 48 hours ($60) and 72 hours ($75). Children and seniors receive a substantial discount.
Dine at the Mathallen Food Hall
Going out to eat in Oslo will put a dent in your wallet if you aren’t careful. So head to Mathallen, an indoor food hall featuring a farmers’ market and international cuisine at affordable prices. Sampling is free, ad the selection is quite impressive, from Spanish tapas and Japanese bento boxes to raw vegan Thai food.
Become a Coffee Connoisseur
Live like a local and spend time at one of Oslo’s hip, third-wave coffee shops. Some of my favorites are Liebling (which also sells quirky home goods), Supreme Roastworks and Tim Wendelboe—run by a World Barista Champion and World Cup Tasters Champion. The move here is to order AeroPress brew, which gives each cup a rich, distinct flavor.
Visit Olso’s Free Parks
Oslo has not one, but two free outdoor sculpture parks. The older of the two, Vigeland Park, represents the lifework of Gustav Vigeland, who dedicated his talents to this project for nearly 20 years.
Ekebergparken has a very different vibe. The sculptures are arranged in pockets that, at times, can seem hidden. You feel as if you’re the first to discover these works by Louise Bourgeois, Hilde Mæhlum, Salvador Dalí, George Cutts Marina Abramović, Auguste Rodin and many others.
Walking from sculpture to sculpture is actually a decent workout. And as another value-add, you’ll actually get to see the view that inspired Edvard Munch’s infamous painting, “The Scream.” Now that’s a pretty good deal.
___
If you value experiences over consumerism, if you think there's more to life than the 9-5, if you want to travel to every country in the world before you die, subscribe to my channel, and let’s see where we end up next: ow.ly/Vx3Xs
Daily Snapchats: JoanJetsetter
Blog: joanjetsetter.com
Twitter: twitter.com/JoanJetsetter
Vine: vine.co/JoanJetsetter
Instagram: instagram.com/JoanJetsetter
Tumblr: joanjetsetter.tumblr.com
Executive Producer: Skye Mayring
Editor: Gerardo Jaquez Lechuga
My trip to Norway was made possible by Hurtigruten and Visit Norway. Views Expressed are my own.
