About Expat Living Norway

Expat Living Norway is your go-to English-language resource for settling into life in Norway with confidence and ease.

I provide practical tips, up-to-date information, and honest recommendations to help internationals navigate Norwegian bureaucracy, culture, and everyday life. Whether you’re just arrived or have been here for years, you’ll find clear guidance on the topics that matter most.

I moved to Norway in 2014 and have spent years researching, testing, and comparing services — from the most modern digital banks and utility providers to housing taxes, rental pitfalls, and everything in between.

My goal is simple: bridge the language gap, save you time and frustration, and help you avoid the same headaches and costly mistakes many of us have already experienced. New in Norway or still figuring things out? You’re in the right place — let’s make life here smoother together.

How I Create Content

I carefully plan, write, and edit all content to ensure top quality and accuracy. I keep information current, practical, and impartial. Many services I cover are ones I’ve used myself or that trusted friends highly recommend. When I haven’t tested a service personally, I rely on thorough research and real customer feedback. You can trust my recommendations — they’re honest, independent, and never influenced by sponsorships or ads.

The Creator of Expat Living Norway

I am Maria Markes, the creator behind Expat Living Norway.

I’ve called Norway home since 2014 and became a Norwegian citizen three years ago.

Since 2023 I’ve been helping internationals navigate life here through practical English content and detailed research on bureaucracy, culture, jobs, and daily realities.

Maria Markes

More About Maria

Hey, I’m Maria, and I moved to Norway back in 2014 (when I was just 20) as a single mom from Russia. The only Norwegian words I could manage were “Hei” and “Takk” — and even those came out a bit mangled! Arriving in a completely new country with a little one, not speaking the language, and facing all that bureaucracy felt downright overwhelming and scary at times.

In those first months (and honestly, years), I struggled big time: figuring out how Norwegian system actually work, renting place to live, searching for job, studying, doing taxes for myself and my company, understanding cultural norms around parenting and everyday life, and just trying to feel like I belonged. Fast forward a decade: I’ve welcomed three more beautiful babies (now a proud mom of four!), built a tight circle of loyal friends who feel like family, found real love and partnership, and even launched and monetized two businesses along the way. Norway has become home in the best sense — full of nature, safety, equality, and those magical quiet moments that make the hard parts worth it.

But I still remember how confusing and lonely those early days were. That’s why I started this site: to share the practical tips, honest stories, and service recommendations I wish someone had given me when I first arrived. Through the blog, YouTube, and my upcoming books on expat life in Norway, I want to help you skip the trial-and-error, avoid the same pitfalls, and settle in faster and more confidently.

Things have improved a lot since 2014 — more services are available in English, digital options are everywhere, and the expat community is stronger than ever. You’re not alone in this, and you’ve got this!

My Mission

My guides help you skip hours of research, truly understand Norwegian systems, and choose the services that best match your personal needs.