Drink Prices in Oslo, Norway

Don’t let expensive Norwegian beer put you off the Oslo nightlife – a bit of people-watching in the bars of Grünerløkka and beyond can be well worth the cost.

Price of a beer in Oslo, Norway

If looking to cure an alcoholic, then forget sending them to rehab – try sending them to Oslo, Norway instead. Soon enough they’ll simply not be able to afford to drink. Before I went two weeks ago, I had heard ugly rumours about the price of a beer in the Norwegian capital from some friends I went to university with, but I had no idea of how universal the 50-60 Norwegian Krone (US$8.50 - $10.20) drink prices were.

Scandinavian Drinking Habits

Before arriving, one of those friends gave me the following insight into Scandinavian drinking: “Norwegians go to Sweden to buy alcohol. Swedes go to Denmark to buy alcohol.

Danes go to Germany to buy alcohol. The Germans bring their own alcohol to Norway when they invade the country in their mobile homes during the summer.

He’s not far wrong.

Bars in Grünerløkka

This is not to say that it’s not worth going out and exploring the Oslo nightlife – it’s more that it should be approached in a different way. For a start, Norwegian beer isn’t all that tasty anyway – it’s rather watery and bland – but the fun comes in the people watching. The Grünerløkka district, north-east of the city centre, has some particularly good drinking establishments. Many of the bars in Grünerløkka are stylish and attract a young, arty crowd. It’s worth buying just the one beer (preferably not a Norwegian beer, but imports can be even pricier) to sit around and observe the human zoo.