Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Norway
58
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,302
Salary/mo
$4,185
Oman
51
GoScore
Budget/mo
$900
Salary/mo
$1,400
AI insights unavailable
Study Abroad GoScore Ranking
GoScore 0-100 · Weights: affordability, PR pathway, safety, career & quality of life
Key Comparison Metrics
Public university tuition / year
Monthly student budget
Part-time wage / hour
Student visa fee
Post-study work visa
IELTS band required
Safety index
Quick Verdict — 2026
Norway wins for students (GoScore 58 vs 51). A 2-year master's costs $31,600 in Oman — 43% less than Norway, saving $23,828.
Norway wins for working professionals (GoScore 65 vs 48). Professionals in Norway retain $2,186/month after expenses — $1,876/month more than in Oman.
Norway is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 66 vs 64).
Total cost of attendance in Norway — tuition ($24,180) plus living ($31,248) — is $55,428. In Oman: $31,600 ($10,000 tuition + $21,600 living).Oman is 43% cheaper, saving $23,828 over the degree.
In Norway, 20 hrs/week at $17/hr earns $1,339/month — covering 131% of outside-city rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Norway retains $2,186/month from $4,185. In Oman: $310/month from $1,400. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $112,560. Tech salaries: $6,510/mo (Norway) vs $2,500/mo (Oman).
Norway: PR pathway ~7 years. Oman: no clearly defined pathway. Post-study work visas: 12 months (Norway) and 0 months (Oman). Student visa fee: $56 vs $130.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Norway) and 6.0 (Oman).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇳🇴 Norway | 🇴🇲 Oman |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 58 | 51 |
| Work GoScore | 65 | 48 |
| Settle GoScore | 66 | 64 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $12,090 | $5,000 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,302 | $900 |
| Avg net salary / month | $4,185 | $1,400 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $1,395/mo | $700/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 12 months | 0 months |
| PR pathway | 7 years | 0 years |
| Safety index | 79 / 100 | 77 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇳🇴 Norway
Norway has zero tuition fees at all public universities for ALL nationalities — including non-EU/EEA students.
Source: NOKUT 2024
Norway ranks 1st on the UN Human Development Index for the 8th consecutive year.
Source: UNDP HDR 2023
Norway's Government Pension Fund is the world's largest sovereign wealth fund at $1.7 trillion — funding exceptional public services including healthcare and education.
Source: Norges Bank 2024
The Norwegian skilled worker visa has no quota system and processes applications in as little as 2 weeks.
Source: UDI Norway 2024
Norway's oil and gas industry pays engineers NOK 900,000–1,400,000/year ($85,000–$130,000) — some of the world's highest engineering salaries.
🇴🇲 Oman
Oman is consistently ranked the Arab world's most stable country (Global Peace Index 2023) — a key draw for risk-averse professionals.
Source: IEP 2023
Oman Vision 2040 is investing $100 billion in diversifying away from oil — creating massive demand for tech, tourism, and renewable energy professionals.
Source: NCSI Oman 2024
Oman levies 0% personal income tax — salaries are entirely take-home.
Muscat's cost of living is 30% below Dubai while offering comparable tax-free salaries — making it one of the Gulf's best-kept secrets for professionals.
Popular Comparisons
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Data Sources
Editorial
Compiled by mockDe Editorial Team
Verified by IELTS-certified advisors with study-abroad counselling experience.
Freshness
Data reflects 2026 benchmarks.
Last reviewed June 2026.
AI verdict cached permanently; regenerated on data change.
All figures in USD. AI insights by Gemini Pro. Values are indicative — verify official sources before making relocation decisions.