The Budget - The UK Vs Norway

The news topic of the moment is the Budget. Nobody likes paying taxes. But in my home country of Norway, we pay far more tax than in the UK.

British beer is expensive at around three pounds. Scandinavians have a reputation for hard drinking. But in Norway a pint of beer costs eight pounds.

A 20 pack of cigarettes in Winchester costs about eight pounds, but in my home town of Bodo, the result of high taxes means that you have to pay eleven pounds.

Graphic created by myself

Filling your car in England can leave a big hole in your bank balance. But in Norway, even though we have our own oil reserves, petrol is still more expensive.

Comparing taxation on housing in two different countries is notoriously difficult. But due to the higher tax regime in Norway, sale tax on housing is four times more than in the UK.

If you work in Norway and pay maximum tax, you will need to give 47.8 per cent of your salary. In the UK you will not pay over 40 per cent.

But in return of paying all this tax, older Norwegians can look forward to a pension of almost double that in the UK.

Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world, but not everything costs more. Christmas trees are in plenty supply, so much so, that we can afford to give a giant one to England every year.

Written by Anja Elen Eikenes.