RE: Oslo downtown #3 - Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen
Yes, rent is really high - and many immigrants pay for living in conditions that (according to the laws and regulations) aren't suitable for living.
Food, clothes and shoes is possible to find cheaply, as long as one is observant and trying to save money. Baking bread at home can really help, bread is the common staple in Norway, but it's quite expensive actually. Nowadays it's even trivial to order clothes and shoes directly from China. Well, shoes and socks does not work out for me as my feet is too big :-)
Alcohol and services is very expensive - and "services" includes cafés. Earlier we would only eat at home or occasionally in the cheapest kebab/pizza outlets, eventually ordering the cheapest burgers from McDonalds. Now I'm earning relatively much on my crypto trading, so I don't mind dining out, and I don't do McDonalds anymore. Exclusive restaurants are still a no-go though.
fast food restaurants ruining health, it is relatively inexpensive, but such a bad food! appreciate your health, do not eat there. good thing you're not eating there now. by the way, I also make bread at home. the children say that it is much tastier than store-purchased. helps bread maker and the slow cooker really saves time.