Norway BigMac test

2005-12-22 Me · Norway

So, despite the slight hangover, I ventured out into Bergen town today. Luckily unlike the day before where I was drenched in torrential rain, I was greeted with a grey but fresh day, hoping to get some bargins for Christmas that was until my usual Bergen shopping syndrome set in. I don’t know what it is about me or Bergen but I can’t stand shopping here and I can’t for the life of me figure out why. The shops are fine, theres a reasonable amount of choice, and I am not one to shy away from shopping but we don’t get along. Maybe its the fact that it seems busier than London, something to do with hundreds of people just standing around or generally getting in the way (haven’t they got anything more constructive to do?) or is it that I can’t find what I like or perhaps I am no longer sure about this.

So I decided to take a break from my less than successful shopping spree, I went for some noodles, except that I couldn’t find a decent noodle place to get a Ramen fix and ended up in McDonalds (at least is wasn’t the usual hotdog fast food that seems to be served everywhere). Its at this point that I was reminded of The Economist doing the Big Mac world price index, where the cost of a Big Mac around the world is compared to the cost of one in New York to compare the real exchange rates. Well I opted for a meal, but I know that a Big Mac meal in the UK before I left was about £3.88, and my Big Mac meal here cost 70NKr.

So at todays exchange rates ( 1 GBP = 11.7948 NOK) , my meal just cost £5.94 or about £2 more which is strange because I don’t recall enjoying it anymore, or even at all, but it gives an idea of how much more it is and considering McDonalds in the UK is one of the most expensive in the world I am sure you will see what the real, if you can call eating at McDonalds real, cost of living here is. Oh well at least it was the nicest looking McD’s I have been in.