Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links to product and referral links to credit cards that we use. For all affiliates, we earn a small percentage of any purchases. When we share links to credit card applications, if you click on that link and are approved, we will be compensated with points at no additional cost to you. We will never share any products or credit cards that we do not use ourselves.

Norway is a notoriously expensive country. When we were planning our trip, we did our best to book accommodations that would save us money.

Below is our budget for our 12 days in Scotland, traveling as a family of 3. This does not include groceries or eating out, which I estimate cost an addition $600 for our two weeks. (We ate a lot of pasta and PB &J on the trip to save money.)

We are not true budget travelers; we save in some places so that we can splurge in others. This trip is an example of how traveling in the countryside and hard to reach places can cost more money. (We spent less money in Rome and Scotland.)

Transportation Total: for 3 people: $1720

We're jumping around a lot on this trip, so we're spending much more on transportation that we usually would (and more than you have to if you choose to visit Scotland).

KLM flight from to and from New York (JFK Airport)to Bergen: $800 total
- We used points for this flight and had a long layover in Amsterdam. (We transfer American Express points to Flying Blue, KLM’s award program, nearly every summer for our trips to Europe.)
- We booked Premium Economy seats for our trip to give us more leg room.
- If you were to pay cash for a summer flight form NY to Bergen, you can expect to pay anywhere from $500-$800 per person.
Train from airport to Bergen City Center: $3 per person each way/ $20 USD total
- Take the City Light Rail (Bybanen) line number 1 from the airport to downtown
Rental Car with Hertz for 10 days: $900 USD
- We decided a car was necessary to have the independence to pull over any time we want and access more remote spots for hiking and camping. The Hertz car rental is just outside the doors of the airport, and is super easy.
- We rented an electric vehicle, which we highly recommend. There are charging stations everywhere, and gas is very expensive in Norway.

Accommodations Total: for 12 nights: $2029 USD ($170 average per night)

This was our biggest expense on the trip. We knew we wanted to be comfortable, so we booked spaces where everyone had a bed to sleep in. We also knew we would not have the energy to eat out all the time, so we wanted a kitchen at each location. When traveling with a 7-year-old, the amenities matter. You could also cut 3 nights off this trip, still see everything, and bring the total closer to $1500 for 9 days.

2 nights at Clarion Hotel Admiral, Bergen City Centre $680 USD ($340 per night)
- This includes a surcharge for our daughter; we had to add an extra bed to the room. We booked through Hotels.com for the best price.
- I highly recommend this hotel for its location, which is right on the harbor across from Bryggen. The breakfast is also amazing.
  - If you are a points and miles enthusiast, you can stay here with Choice points.
2 nights at Gudvangen camping $336 USD ($168 per night)
- A very nice step up from tent camping, we booked a 2-bedroom cabin with a loft and full bathroom and kitchen.
- This place felt like a STEAL. Most of the campground was full of vans and RVs, but the large cabins are beautiful and can fit a large family with ease. Many people might choose to stay in Flam, but we wanted something quieter.

4 nights at Oldevatn camping $628 USD ($157 per night)
- This was our favorite cabin because of the setting on the lake.
- We booked something a bit smaller this time, so it would not work for more than a family of 3, and we did not have a shower in our room. But there are larger cabins available.
- On site includes: free kayaks, canoes, and paddle boats, and life jackets.
- There is a small playground good for toddlers to 10 year olds.
- Some people will not love how crowded the place is with vans and RVs, but this did not bother us. We came for the location and the views.
- There is a sauna nearby, that you can book, too.
2 nights at Hole Hytter cabin in Geiranger $400 USD ($200 per night)
- This is a cabin high above the fjord.
- While everyone LOVES Geiranger, I’m not sure I would recommend booking this if you want a calm and peaceful trip because it’s a cruise town with only 1 road. We sat in a LOT of traffic here and tour busses were frequently getting stuck.
- The one perk is that because the cabins are already high up, you can do some pretty hikes here without completely exhausting yourself.

1 night at Jølstraholmen Landskapshotell $175 USD
- We had a big driving day on the way back to Bergen, so I chose one more campground.
- This is another that I would not recommend. The accommodations are beautiful, but the bedroom was not comfortable or large enough for my 6’3” husband to fully stretch out his legs. It’s also next to a gas station and a grocery store, so it’s not as cozy and isolated as the other cabins we stayed at.
- It’s riverside, which is fun in theory, but the river was not safe for swimming, and I would not let a little kid play outside where without being watched carefully.
1 night at Comfort Hotel Bergen Airport $150
- We used points for this hotel stay, but it’s very affordable for a 2-queen bed room.
- We dropped our rental car off at Hertz, and stayed here before our morning flight.
- Breakfast was included, so we were able to start the day with a full meal before walking down the hill to the airport.

Activities: $730

Bergen: ($150)

Take Fløibanen funicular to the top of Mount Fløyen ($50 for 2 adults and 1 child)
Troll Museum ($65 for 2 adults and 1 child)
Bryggens Museum (historical/ archaeological museum) ($35 for 2 adults; children free)

Canoes are included at the top of Mount Floyen

Gudvangen & Flam ($250)

Nærøyfjord Fjord Cruise ($175 for 2 adults and 1 child)
Viking Village (outdoor folk museum) ($75 for 2 adults and 1 child)

Olden & Loen ($330)

We based ourselves in Olden for 4 nights, and these are the activities that we drove to each day. There is also lots of great hiking in this area.

Briksdals Glacier (Troll Car up; hike down) ($40 for 2 adults and 1 child.)
Loen Skylift (gondola to top of Mount Hoven for hiking) ($175 for 2 adults and 1 child)
Loen Play center (kid-focused play center with a coffee shop for parents) ($20 for 1 adult and 1 child)
Hydlaparken: Zipline park (Stryn) ($95 for 1 adult and 1 child)