HOW EXPENSIVE IS SVALBARD? | Cost of groceries and food in Longyearbyen Coop

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5 жыл бұрын

For this week's vlog, we thought it would be helpful to take you around the biggest supermarket in Longyearbyen, Svalbard. Surprisingly, I found that Svalbard cost of living (at least the supermarket food prices) are not that expensive.
From produce prices, Svalbard alcohol and beer, to the bread and whale meat, Co-op Svalbard has it all. And even better, they have a locker to store your polar bear rifle if you need it!
Don't forget to check out our other Svalbard vlogs!
If you are looking for Svalbard accommodations, here's our ultimate list of hotels in Svalbard:
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And check out these cool Svalbard adventures that you can book before your visit!
Longyearbyen: Northern Lights Hunt by Snowcat bit.ly/2puXvwy
Longyearbyen: Northern Lights Evening with Dinner bit.ly/35bItLq
Longyearbyen: Northern Lights Hunt by Electric Snowmobile bit.ly/376NmqG
Longyearbyen: Historic Coal Mine Tour at Gruve 3 bit.ly/37fM0dq
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Пікірлер: 1 400

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Also check out the amazing Svalbard Accommodations - The Ultimate Guide to Earth’s “Coolest” Hotels: thertwguys.com/svalbard-accommodations/

@frankolsen261 3 жыл бұрын

Maybe Svalbard isn't as expensive as you expected because you didn't pay any tax?

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

@@frankolsen261 that's a good point 🧐

@carmen8685 3 жыл бұрын

How can jobs be found?! I’m so interested!!

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

@@carmen8685 it's almost slim to none jobs for most foreigners here, especially the labor jobs

@carmen8685 3 жыл бұрын

@@theRTWguys ahhhh that sucks!!!

@wh7824 5 жыл бұрын

damn, for a settlement town of 2000 inhabitants, they have a pretty serious selection available in the supermarket

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Yes, i agree with you. I definitely didn't expect to find the selection of items that they have up there, but I'm sure it is very appreciated by locals :)

@svalbaripolaricebergwater2305 5 жыл бұрын

@@theRTWguys I generally say that while we may not be able to get 10 versions of everything, we generally have at least 1 version of most things you could need up here. The history of having been a mining "company town" with all the associated infrastructure, combined with today having lots of international students, residents, scientists, and tourists makes it so that we are better equipped with most goods or services than pretty much any similarly sized small town in the world.

@ufo4936 5 жыл бұрын

And that too affordable price

@markdelta7146 4 жыл бұрын

@@svalbaripolaricebergwater2305 What is the mobile network and the internet connection like there? what is the average internet speed and how much is the cost?

@svalbaripolaricebergwater2305 4 жыл бұрын

@@markdelta7146 All very good. We have two undersea fiber cables connecting us to mainland Norway and the wider internet. This is because we have the world's largest commercial satellite receiving station next to town. They download a huge chunk of the world's vital climate information as well as a lot of other data, so they have big data needs. Called SvalSat. That benefits all of us residents where we have fast fibre connections at home and good 4G in and around the immediate vicinity of Longyearbyen. Telenor has done some 5G testing up here too. Once you get much outside of the town though it gets poorer quickly and then disappears. You can see the coverage map at this link, just scroll up to Svalbard - www.telenor.no/privat/dekningskart/#map When heading out on ships, once you get to the edge of Isfjorden and turn north up Forlandsundet, that's when you disconnect from civilization (a nice feeling). Same thing heading south. The research settlement of Ny Ålesund in Kongsfjorden to the north has no wireless coverage or wifi allowed as the signals interfere with the research that goes on up there. There has been talk of setting up cell coverage throughout the Svalbard wilderness on the model of Iceland which has been good for emergency services and rescue. But many people are opposed because of the loss of a true disconnected wilderness that would mean. Regarding pricing, mobile phone pricing is the same as anywhere else in Norway. Fibre at home I believe goes up to 500MB at present. At least that much in any case. There is a premium versus mainland Norway. It is around 30% extra for 300MB, but I believe it is a fixed monthly additional fee of kr 180 (approximately $20 / €18), so the percentage would be lower for higher speeds. The mainland prices can be seen here - www.telenor.no/privat/internett/fiber/?t=T-We-Bloggen&k=alle&p=1

@raccoon3026 4 жыл бұрын

That moment when a super market on one of the most northern islands in the world is cheaper then Whole Foods in nyc

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

For sure! We stayed in Greenwich Village and Whole Foods was the cheapest place for groceries! Thanks for watching! Make sure to follow our journey around the world by subscribing to our channel for more exciting vlogs :)

@cheezheadz3928 3 жыл бұрын

The majority of stores anywhere are cheaper than whole foods.

@aglayacharis7253 3 жыл бұрын

I was looking for this comment! Still cheaper than NYC living! 😆

@adysc74 3 жыл бұрын

@@aglayacharis7253 or anywhere else, i live in Romania with shit salaries and expensive prices, for example we pay ~10USD for one kilo of beef when you have something like 500-700USD/month salary ;)

@mr.z- 2 жыл бұрын

It's tax free

@erlendsandvoll 5 жыл бұрын

Some corrections from a former citizen of Longyearbyen. *Except for the thai shop, the Coop Svalbardbutikken the only grocery store. (The Thai shop do not carry all items needed for me to count is as a grocery store, so i don't count it). *The "instant rise" you pointed at is actually instant rise porridge, so if you buy that and expect normal rice, you are out of luck. *The liquor/alcohol store (Nordpolet) is also for the lokals, but not for tourists arriving by boat. This is due to some old laws and regulations. As a lokals living on Svalbard, you need an alcohol card to buy alcohol at any store. beer, liquor and hard spirits is on a quota system, so there is a max to how much you can buy. The airplane ticket gives you one month worth of quota. Wine is not on that card, and you can buy as much as you like. (altho customs regulations come into play if you go to some other place than Svalbard) The alcohol quota system dates back to the mining period on Svalbard, the mining directors did not want the workers to show up to work drunk, so they regulated how much alcohol they had access to. The directors drank wine, so they kept that outside of that system. (not a correction, but a side note: Alcohol, tobacco and gasoline/diesel is much cheaper on Svalbard than mainland Norway, due to no tax on sales goods. Also, you can not get a tax refund for your shopping in Longyearbyen, because there is no VAT on anything sold on Svalbard) * In general, things that can come with boat, dry food and other dry goods, costs less or about the same as in mainland norway. This is because of the lower tax level on Svalbard. Everything that has to come with airplane, like milk and other fresh foods is more expensive because of the cost of flying the goods. But a good rundown :) hope you enjoyed your stay there :) edit: spelling errors

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Woo hoo! We love it when locals (or former locals) comment! This is really helpful, so I am going to pin it as a comment so that other people can see it. Thank you so much for this! 😎

@star1polish 5 жыл бұрын

Sir can u also explain us how one can settle there and about job opportunities to survive there

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

@@star1polish Unfortunately, I don't have that information. Here is a Reddit thread that may help you though: www.reddit.com/r/Norway/comments/92kvba/how_can_a_foreigner_move_to_svalbard/

@star1polish 5 жыл бұрын

@@theRTWguys thanks:-)

@andyking6084 5 жыл бұрын

@@star1polish here's a website that show some jobs they need ppl for work :) no.jooble.org/jobb-fast-stilling/Svalbard

@bradleywellington7421 5 жыл бұрын

That’s quite interesting. I expected very high prices due to Svalbard’s remote location, but they are fairly reasonable. Large American cities like San Francisco are much more expensive in my experience.

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Oh absolutely - I found it very interesting that Svalbard is more affordable than I had expected. Even Oslo is more expensive, I think! And it is not comparable with San Francisco or New York for sure!

@buss8009 3 жыл бұрын

And when you considered that a Norwegian has monthly salary about double of what an average monthly American salary is...

@seesea-sv3xw 2 жыл бұрын

Did you see gasoline $1.25 a gallon for 95 octane without ethanol.

@seesea-sv3xw 2 жыл бұрын

@@buss8009 but 70% is taxed.

@buss8009 2 жыл бұрын

@@seesea-sv3xw Nonsense. I live here, and I pay about 24 % tax... And I just got a "big" tax refund...

@brianlindquist7831 5 жыл бұрын

This is cheaper than my grocery store in a major US city.

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Tell me about it! I just spent 10 days in Greenwich Village, NYC!

@woutweghorst2879 5 жыл бұрын

Yup I agree, I live in San Diego. Most of their prices are super reasonable

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

@@woutweghorst2879 Yup, same thing with us here in Atlanta. I guess Svalbard is not as expensive as I had originally thought!!

@ssshhhjjj192 4 жыл бұрын

Yes I agree, I live in north texas and those prices are exactly the same as the grocery stores here. In fact, many of the items he showed us were significantly cheaper than in texas...

@obabobai 4 жыл бұрын

bollocks

@Croaghaun71 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the super detailed video. It was awesome literally seeing the prices. Like many others have stated, I was amazed at inexpensive the prices were. I expected them to be much higher. Pretty cool.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful! Check out our other Svalbard videos, as well as hit the subscribe button to follow along with our journey around the world :)

@lorofcb3 4 жыл бұрын

As a Swiss I can say these prices seem very reasonable. Some things are a bit more expensive, others actually cost more in Switzerland, which I find incredible.

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

For sure!

@BuzzSargent 2 жыл бұрын

1st time to see your channel. Great format with good info and no annoying music. Happy Trails

@theRTWguys 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome, thank you!

@PokePresto 5 жыл бұрын

As a Norwegian mainlander it seems prices are a little higher on average in svalbard.

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Oh absolutely, these are nothing I expected of the prices. Even some things in the States and mainland Europe are more expensive!

@dennistorres356 4 жыл бұрын

the average salary in svalvard is almost 25% higher than in norway

@Curious-Worlds 4 жыл бұрын

@ Actually Dennis Torres is only wrong in that the number is too low. It's a bit old now, but in 2015, average gross income was 40% higher than the mainland. NOK 621400 average on Svalbard versus NOK 442300 on the mainland. Given income taxes are much lower on Svalbard (only 16.2% versus around 38.5% average on the mainland), net incomes are even higher. Now, since 2015 that disparity has almost certainly narrowed given the loss of high paying mining jobs and increase in low paying tourist and service sector jobs, but there are still plenty of high paying jobs that attract Norwegians in particular, so the disparity is almost certainly still there and significant. You can see the numbers in the Statistics Norway (SSB) publication "This is Svalbard 2016". www.ssb.no/en/befolkning/artikler-og-publikasjoner/_attachment/294354?_ts=15a12de02c0 I believe that is unfortunately the most recent one. There are more recent raw statistics published by SSB for Svalbard and the mainland from which I can probably tease out the per capita income more recently, though I just haven't looked them up yet. Hope this is helpful and interesting.

@brad1ey50 4 жыл бұрын

they can’t transport things to svalbard using ships because the water is frozen up north so they have to fly the supplies in, making everything more expensive

@Curious-Worlds 4 жыл бұрын

@@brad1ey50 Actually, that is rarely true anymore due to global warming and the increasing encroachment of warm water currents from the Atlantic. Longyearbyen used to be frozen out of all ships but icebreakers for 5 months out of the year. Now the fjord hasn't been frozen solid in over a decade. Things have changed. We have had a bit more cold this year, so the Russian town of Barentsburg is temporarily frozen in, but that is a very rare occurrence. In the winter we get a cargo ship (the Norbjørn) up here every 2-4 weeks or so, and pretty much weekly in the summer. There is a near daily plane that brings supplies up too, but the ship is the bigger supplier of common goods.

@Mark_Ocain 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah I was surprised by the selection of goods available at the Svalbard CoOp when I was there in 2016. They serve the community quite well for the everyday needs folks have. I really want to visit again when the snow is up ...I visited at a time where they had a very unseasonally snowless and warm start to the Polar night.

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

Yes, and I have been receiving all of these comments on how surprised people are with the selection/prices in this CoOp!

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

Mark - If you haven't, consider subscribing to our channel for more exciting vlogs from all around the world: kzfaq.info

@germaineadiltek1569 2 жыл бұрын

I watched the entire video. Thank you it was very informative. The prices are not bad at all . Quite reasonable

@theRTWguys 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely 🤗

@toshineon 3 жыл бұрын

It's really funny to see a Coop store in Svalbard. We have those in Sweden too, in practically every town.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Hahaha we discovered Coop from Sweden!!

@browniemotion937 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing this vid. It helped me prepare and bring my own food beforehand all the way to Svalbard and saved me quite some NOK :))

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Oh, glad that this helps you to plan for your visit. Don't forget to subscribe to our channel for more exciting vlogs :)

@holoholopainen1627 2 жыл бұрын

How Are Getting Those there ? Are You sailing ?

@adhdbookworm 4 жыл бұрын

This is a very good video. Thanks for sharing!

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

Absolutely, glad to hear that you find it useful! Thanks for watching - please do subscribe to our Channel for more exciting vlogs ;) Greetings from Peru

@NovaDeb 2 жыл бұрын

Very interesting! Good tour of grocery store. Thanks.

@theRTWguys 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Debbie 😌

@NathanCarterVids 4 жыл бұрын

It looks like I'm headed there in March, and I gotta say, these prices are way better than what I was expecting. My only arctic experience to date has been a few communities on Baffin Island in Nunavut and that was usually about triple what I'm used to paying in southern Canada. These prices however, seem only a little bit higher than what I pay at home, except for some veggies and meat. Thank for the info

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

For sure! Thank you for watching, Nathan, and enjoy your trip! We also have a few other Svalbard vlogs to check out, including the abandoned Pyramiden and Barentsburg trips, if you are heading that way. And if you haven't, consider subscribing to our channel for more exciting vlogs from all around the world: kzfaq.info

@revandenburg 3 жыл бұрын

Wow I was pleasantly surprised by the selection of items as well as prices. Thank You for including US dollar prices. WAY better prices than Utqiagvik Alaska *formally known as Barrow Alaska*.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

For sure! They are quite reasonable with their prices.

@ronnborg 4 жыл бұрын

Thx bro🙏 you make a very beautiful video ,.. I love this place,.,.Svalbard-Spetsbergen /Björne from Kungsbacka Sweden🇸🇪

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

Hey Bjorn, thank you for watching! Make sure to follow our journey around the world by subscribing to our channel for more exciting vlogs :) Halef (and Michael)

@trixiepickle8779 3 жыл бұрын

I was expecting it to be very expensive, given where it is. I live in the French countryside in SW France, and the prices are only a little bit more than I pay, very impressed.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

A big surprise to all of us 😀

@Crsf84 3 жыл бұрын

that’s some decent prices, I was in norway before and needed a small mortgage to breath. Compared to the uk those prices there are much the same.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

For sure! LOL at the small mortgage 😂

@newforestpixie5297 3 жыл бұрын

Yes those are same as the Co Op shop opposite my house in Southern / South West England 😁👍🐢

@queenwavySHAINAB 4 жыл бұрын

Those are Walmart prices in the USA! I'm moving there!

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

LOL

@RedRavenX1 3 жыл бұрын

You may come here legally

@oklahomaisok 3 жыл бұрын

Not where I live, for one small pack of chicken breasts in that co-op I could buy a week’s worth of groceries for myself

@mr.z- 2 жыл бұрын

@@oklahomaisok where is this am moving on

@erich1070 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for posting this👍🏾

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Of course 😀

@eggexpress5356 3 жыл бұрын

That is just about as cheap or even cheaper than regular stores in the US. I am impressed by their efficiency to deliver for a low price.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

For sure 😀

@The_Lump 4 жыл бұрын

Late to the party but I love the pun in Nordpolet. Nordpolen is "The North Pole" and "Vinmonopolet" is the alcohol monopoly shop in Norway, thus it's called "Nordpolet".

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

Fully noted! Thank you for your clarification!

@sarahplainandtall9877 3 жыл бұрын

The prices are not too bad, almost the same price we have here in Chicago, Illinois USA. If I'm visiting that place, I won't mind the prices as long as there are available essentials that I can buy.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

For sure!

@stg77777 4 жыл бұрын

Nice presentation of this supermarket.very good supermarket !!!

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@frozenbits48 3 жыл бұрын

Nice market. Compared to Alaska food prices, it was not too bad. Eggs a bit expensive, but everything else did not surprise me. The coffee was very reasonable. Thanks for the video, I am putting your town on my bucket list.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@-morrow 5 жыл бұрын

still cheaper than switzerland

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

No doubt!

@justanonvegan 4 жыл бұрын

Lol I visited Switzerland and it was about the same

@clintontriumph6220 4 жыл бұрын

Cheaper than Connecticut to

@justanonvegan 4 жыл бұрын

Clinton Triumph no it’s not

@dinasun3 3 жыл бұрын

Switzerland groceries isn’t that bad if you’re living there and working.

@markdelta7146 4 жыл бұрын

Your video is really great and informative, thank you for sharing this, I wanted to know how is the phone service and the internet there? what is the average internet speed and how much does it costs?

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

I had the same plan as Norway, and the connectivity (and cost) is exactly like in Norway, i.e. fast. I believe I had a quick rundown on what I spent on data in Norway in some other vlogs - it would be under the Norway Playlist. Thanks for watching!

@Vincent-ri5cr 5 жыл бұрын

thanks for the video. the world is such an interesting place

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for saying that. It's EXACTLY the way we feel, too! Just go with the flow and have fun!

@liletbue_ 5 жыл бұрын

Just learned about Svalbard today and it looks amazing. Subscribed to your channel!!! 🌻🌻🌻 Thanks for this.

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Absolutely! Thank you :)

@makhocheung3929 5 жыл бұрын

What if they just put those ice pops outside the supermarket lol

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

😀that's an excellent question! It would certainly be ok - they won't melt for sure!

@frisianmouve 4 жыл бұрын

It wouldn't be recommended for 4 months of the year

@tximeleta35 3 жыл бұрын

García Vaquero cheese😆😆😆😆😆, from Spain

@dc1anderson 3 жыл бұрын

Have you ever seen the food prices in Iceland? I thought this was going to be similar, but it's not even close.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Oh Iceland prices are crazily high!

@rj.e.2474 5 жыл бұрын

So helpful! Thank you!

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Absolutely! Glad that this vlog can be useful :)

@comento6137 3 жыл бұрын

I just subscribed! Actually I watched documentaries about Svalbard many times and hooked with it. I want to live there but I don't know where to start. I really love the place. though it's quite remote but still I wanna go and find my soulmate and settle there for good😉.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Svalbard is a very special place for sure! Make sure to watch our other Svalbard videos - 😀🇳🇴

@comento6137 3 жыл бұрын

@@theRTWguys yes sure I will watch 😀. I really wanna go and start a life there.

@jackhurley1428 4 жыл бұрын

You know your getting screwed over (in Ireland) when everything is cheaper in svalbard.

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

Hahaha no kiddin'!

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

Jack - if you haven't, consider subscribing to our channel for more exciting vlogs from all around the world: kzfaq.info 😀 See you around!

@sofitocyn100 3 жыл бұрын

Everything? You are exaggerating

@jackhurley1428 3 жыл бұрын

@@sofitocyn100 everything in the store anyway.

@jaymekg6236 5 жыл бұрын

Good video. What kind of camera do you use. Here in Patuanak, Saskatchewan, I think a 2 litre jug of milk is about $9.50 american.

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Ouch! That's a lot of money for milk! All our camera stuff is listed in the description for the video. But I used a Sony RX100 for this one. Our main vlogging camera is a Sony a6500.

@toki89666 4 жыл бұрын

That's crazy! Here in Kentucky 1 gallon (3.75 liter) of milk is about $1.69 USD. Its so cheap right now many people buy more than they need and freeze it, it's considered expensive when it gets over $2.50 USD for 1 gallon (3.75 liter).

@ashraf2661 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks...that was interesting !!!

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching 😀

@davidjohn4140 3 жыл бұрын

Fantasic and enjoyable video. Loved it! One thing is for sure, no matter where you go, Lego is expensive and probably just as painful to step on as anywhere else in the world. Lol

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Hahaha good point! 😂

@ChrisFarem 4 жыл бұрын

I live in japan and i convert u.s dollar to yen in your grocery pricing. I could say those products especially those baked breads have just the same price here in japan, not cheap but not that expensive. Cheap things here in japan are chocolates because they're made here

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

For sure! The prices are quite reasonable.

@Boksburg1982 3 жыл бұрын

Japan has Cocoa plants?

@mariecovarrubias6569 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this information. I want to visit this place, Looks so interesting. but I see everything is more expensive than here in Mexico. :)

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

For sure 😀

@holoholopainen1627 2 жыл бұрын

This IS cheap in Europe !

@robertcraft4894 3 жыл бұрын

Greetings from Australia, these are great prices for most things! The produce is a bit higher of course. But the alcohol is about 1/2 the price of here because of taxes!

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

For sure! 😀

@raeperonneau4941 3 жыл бұрын

Wow, these prices are amazingly reasonable for having to have everything flown in. Doesn’t seem like anyone is gouging in Longyearbyen. Lovely to see. The prices might be better than those in Hawaii. Lol

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

For sure 😀

@ianhzabner 5 жыл бұрын

I live in a somewhat isolated town in the US and the prices are about the same.

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Surprisingly, yes. Svalbard prices are not as bad as I had originally thought.

@MissGinaWar 4 жыл бұрын

where! :D I love isolated places

@masterofpuppets5072 3 жыл бұрын

@@MissGinaWar the longest I've spent in an isolated place was in my bathroom

@ianwoodzy638 5 жыл бұрын

1 litre of absolute vodka £13. 50 here in the UK it would be £22

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Oh yeah - the alcohol prices in Svalbard is very comparable with the US, meaning that it is cheap for any European crowds! In Norway, alcohol has a high taxation but it doesn't apply in Svalbard!

@CaptainVita 4 жыл бұрын

Here in Malaysia its around 35 pound

@CaptainVita 3 жыл бұрын

@Insert Name Here Yeah, I used to live there and alcohol is ridiculously expensive.

@someguyfromarcticfreezer6854 3 жыл бұрын

In Greenland AV cost like £52 for 750ml volume.

@immerdz3714 3 жыл бұрын

But the salary in UK its not same with savalbard

@jimmylee377 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video, i am living in Alaska and the cost there is not bad...

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

I completely agree - I expected a more expensive range of prices!

@cousinluigi 3 жыл бұрын

Svalbard is a VAT exempt territory, which helps explain some of the prices being kinda reasonable. The yellow tin with a kid on it is pork liver pâté, typically served as a sandwich spread. Try garnishing that with pickle or cucumber slices. :) And yes, “appelsin” is the correct word for orange (the fruit) in Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish. In Dutch, it’s called sinaasappel. The etymology behind these names stem from “apples of China”, although they can technically be grown in any country that has a permitting climate, but yeah, Norway doesn’t. One thing Svalbard’s climate does permit, though is storing orange seeds in the Global Seed Vault.

@theRTWguys 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the awesome info and clarification ☺️

@Impozalla 3 жыл бұрын

Talk about some good prices. 👍

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

For sure!

@ianwoodzy638 5 жыл бұрын

any idea how to live in Svalbard for cheaper than £35 per day in the cheap hostel hotel? I guess Camping is not permitted? haha

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

There is a camping ground nearby the airport, however, obviously much comfortable to stay indoor in any of the hotel. I stayed in Gjestehuset 102, which is one of the three budget hostels in Longyearbyen. You can check out their rates here through booking dot here. For dorm beds, it is less than 35 pounds for sure. www.booking.com/hotel/no/gjestehuset102.en.html?aid=1216305&no_rooms=1&group_adults=1

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

We wrote the ultimate hotel/hostel guide on our blog - pretty confident that we covered all of the options in Svalbard! www.thertwguys.com/svalbard-accommodations/

@scumf6862 5 жыл бұрын

@@theRTWguys Cool stuff man, subscribed

@TheRealThaenatos 5 жыл бұрын

What a selection and the prices aren't terrible given the location!

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Absolutely! I agree!

@gregingram4996 3 жыл бұрын

Those are some incredibly reasonable prices! What a comparison with Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost town in the US! You've heard of Whole Foods? In Barrow when you go grocery shopping, it's Whole Paycheck!

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Oh, for sure! Can't imagine Alaska to be cheaper than these Svalbard prices 😀

@HunterTunisiano 5 жыл бұрын

appelsin = apple of china ( in Germanic language it basically means orange )

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Very nice, thank you so much for the explanation! I learn new things everyday :)

@sibisolotraveller 5 жыл бұрын

Even in russian appelsin is orange

@beth3075 4 жыл бұрын

in dutch orange is sinsappel

@SaifulIslam-jd8ow 4 жыл бұрын

Love. I am from Dubai

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

Very nice - welcome to our channel! if you haven't, consider subscribing to our channel for more exciting vlogs from all around the world: kzfaq.info Eventually we will be visiting Dubai and vlog about it :)

@jhollisphoto 3 жыл бұрын

super informative! thanks!

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@Arctic_Dude 5 жыл бұрын

I live in Northern Norway, and prices seem quite similar to the mainland. Apart from alcohol, which is way cheaper in Svalbard!

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Oh nice to know!!

@MrKrishluv 5 жыл бұрын

How much accommodation rent per month ??

@utubebroadcaster 4 жыл бұрын

1500€ for a studio apt

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

Good to know!

@Curious-Worlds 4 жыл бұрын

The first challenge is simply finding housing. While it has eased slightly with some recent new construction, there is still a serious housing shortage. They have had to condemn and demolish a significant part of the housing stock because global warming effects have resulted in melting permafrost and significantly increased avalanche risk that has made previously safe housing unsafe. In 2015 a large section of one neighborhood was completely destroyed by an avalanche. There just isn't enough housing to go around and there are people who have had signed fixed job contracts who had to leave because they couldn't get housing. There is even a facebook group called "Homeless 78 north" where people share stories of their problems including needing to move every few months, weeks, or even days. There are very few privately owned homes up here, the vast majority is owned by government or state companies, and much of that housing stock is reserved for employees or has long waiting lists. So anyone who wants to move up here should plan to search ahead and not assume they can just find a place to rent when they get here.

@randzopyr1038 4 жыл бұрын

@@Curious-Worlds Or if you've got a small fortune then you can ship and build your own house since the laws are pretty lax.

@gator448 4 жыл бұрын

@@Curious-Worlds thanks for the info bro appreciate it

@beesforever3685 5 жыл бұрын

I have been there.

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Awesome!

@TheAgentAaron 3 жыл бұрын

Wow! I'm quite surprised to see costs lower than I'd have expected. I was certain the costs would be exorbitant considering everything has to be flown or shipped in by boat. Almost everything is lower in cost than what we pay here in Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas. Dairy certainly appears to be more expensive - it looks like y'all get less bang for your buck there . We pay about the same for milk but where you're getting 1/2 gallon we get 1 gallon for what you pay. Eggs are high - they can be purchased for $2 +/- though free range, cage free, brown shell are the same at $5-6 +/-. Interesting....thanks for sharing.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

For sure! It's definitely a very reasonable price throughout the store.

@klondikechris 3 жыл бұрын

Very similar to the prices in Dawson City, Yukon. Some things a bit more, and some a bit less, but overall very similar. WAY more selection there though!

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Oh that's interesting 😊

@wildearth3992 5 жыл бұрын

That’s not very expensive. For exemple in Barrow Canada it’s worst

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Yes, I expected more expensive prices from Svalbard!!

@sgeuvesf4195 5 жыл бұрын

Barrow is in Alaska

@wildearth3992 5 жыл бұрын

Arrow6000 I know.

@muhammadasadjunaid9735 5 жыл бұрын

Svalbard is tax free thats why things are cheaper then Norway.

@Andreas4696 5 жыл бұрын

@@wildearth3992 Alaska is not in Canada.

@MetryRoad 5 жыл бұрын

Food prices are quite good considering most of it is imported. The beer is overpriced though. Nice video Best wishes

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

I completely agree with you!

@benryder9947 5 жыл бұрын

It's cheaper than in Australia

@GrabThatPencil 4 жыл бұрын

The beer is not overpriced, yes it's more expensive then other countries, but that's a good thing since it makes people buy it less.

@smartrubberchicken 4 жыл бұрын

In mainland norway it is expensive too so it's not overpriced.

@sassulusmagnus 3 жыл бұрын

Very interesting and informative.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you 😀

@Christian-nj8di 2 жыл бұрын

Great video!!

@theRTWguys 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you 😀

@hobbychannel951 3 жыл бұрын

How is it that 18 eggs cost USD 5.87 and a dozen cost USD 5.99? (4:58 mark)

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Hmmm good question ⁉️

@SpaceshipMansions 3 жыл бұрын

It's the brand difference at play.

@user-uf3op7eg4e 5 жыл бұрын

Please mention monthly living expense at Savalbard Longyearbyen Rent food grocery job how easy it is to get a job trained while working, how to get job.

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Next time!

@bebyntvbebyntv5165 3 жыл бұрын

I have seen other videos from Svalbard (one from a resident) Residents have to have their liquor quota card to buy alcohol. There are limited on how much hard liquor and beer they can purchase per month.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Ah, good to know! Thanks for clarifying 😊

@randzopyr1038 4 жыл бұрын

I am surprised that there is more than one grocery store for so few people. And from the Southern USA some of these prices seem high, but others seem pretty standard.

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

Yup, and most of prices here are very reasonable!

@joeluna7729 5 жыл бұрын

For those of us who Poop a lot," we thank you. LoL :)

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Hahaha 😂I'm still cracking up, too!

@hitsongsa 5 жыл бұрын

I live in St Lucia. It's more expensive here 😂

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

I'm sure it is! I was actually very surprise to see how affordable Svalbard is! I expected a much, much higher prices for commodities. Is it just St. Lucia that is expensive? Any of those touristy Caribbean islands are expensive, I'm sure!

@hitsongsa 5 жыл бұрын

@@theRTWguys You're right, they're all expensive. But the Virgin Islands & Bermuda take the cake!!!

@issadiawara38 4 жыл бұрын

The Round the World Guys lol 😂 imagine just how far it is from st Lucia to Svalbard damnnnn😂😂

@ivs1326 3 жыл бұрын

Interesting video! Most prices are similar to the ones in most mid range supermarkets in the UK with a few exceptions such as milk for example. I was expecting it to be more expensive to be honest.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Oh for sure-

@saturn761 3 жыл бұрын

Huh?? These prices are mental compared to Tesco or Asda

@hapuinhelsinki 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot for this very informative video :) Could you give us same info on the costs of other services such as gas, electricity, internet and mobile connections, rents, etc?

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

You can ask directly to Visit Svalbard board.

@dogwithwigwamz.7320 3 жыл бұрын

And there came a day when a Polar Bear walked into that shop and said, " Give me the fucking key to that fucking locker."

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

LOL 😂

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

LOL

@masterofpuppets5072 3 жыл бұрын

@@theRTWguys just curious if you shoot a polar bear out of self-defense are you allowed to butcher the polar bear for yourself

@WillXtinger 3 жыл бұрын

Everything was alright until he called tortillas "taco shells" at 1:00

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

🌮

@SunRabbit 3 жыл бұрын

I'm Czech, and in my language, the word "sval" means "muscle," so if I ever move there I would start my own Czech bar named SvalBar, which would have to be a sports-themed bar, but I'm sure the locals would love some Pilsner Urquell, slivovice, Becherovka, Fernet, and south Moravian wine. Like, what else can you do up there but drink? I would have no problem with the weather. I don't really like the cold but I can tolerate it in short bursts. I spent all of February 2003 in Michigan on a work tour and I was the only guy who would take a smoke break outside in just a T-shirt. Everybody thought I was a lunatic. I really appreciate the price overview and yes, it is more expensive than here in central Europe, but at least you can buy everything there, like bread, cheese, etc.

@theRTWguys 11 ай бұрын

Haha, SvalBar sounds like a fun and creative idea! It's interesting how words can have different meanings in different languages. Creating a sports-themed bar with a touch of Czech culture sounds like a unique concept that could really resonate with both locals and visitors. And you've got a point about the cold weather - sometimes a little tolerance can go a long way. It's great to hear that you enjoyed the price overview and found it helpful for your perspective. And you're absolutely right, the availability of essential items like bread and cheese is definitely a plus. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and creative plans!

@HazelHammond1505 3 жыл бұрын

Great video thanks for sharing

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching! Make sure to check our our other Svalbard videos and to subscribe to our channel to follow along with our journey. 😀

@dahliacross3584 4 жыл бұрын

yo that's mostly very affordable I'm super shook lol

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

For sure!

@johnrankin7135 5 жыл бұрын

Lol cheaper than Ontario

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Hahaha! You bet! Michael was just in Toronto a couple months ago. 😀

@johnrankin7135 5 жыл бұрын

@@theRTWguys oh awesome hope he had a good time

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

He's a Canadian from New Brunswick - but we travel/transit to Toronto quite often :)

@norgnt 3 жыл бұрын

The reason it says «appelsinjuice» on the orange juice is because the Norwegian word for orange is «appelsin» which means «Chinese apple». Similar to pomme (apple) in pomegranate in English or pomme de terre (potato) in French. Also the «bacon spread» is actually liver paté with bacon and the kid next to it is the less fancy plain liver paté.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the awesome clarification 😊

@miciomiao4378 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you! I enjoyed it a lot! ☆☆☆☆☆

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching!

@headsandtailsheadsandtails4313 4 жыл бұрын

So expensive,and we call Britain a rip off..we look angelic compared to there..

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Haha no kidding -

@avikolo 3 жыл бұрын

For the most part, I'm quite surprised at how reasonable some of the prices are. No doubt eggs and fruit are on the high side but honestly not bad!

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

For sure! Thanks for watching - make sure to check out our other Svalbard videos 😀

@brad1ey50 4 жыл бұрын

they can’t transport things to svalbard using ships because the water is frozen up north so they have to fly the supplies in, making everything more expensive

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

Actually it was quite affordable, according to westerners standard!

@diane9247 3 жыл бұрын

Those prices are pretty good! About equivalent to the US, but the dairy and produce is a lot higher.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

For sure 😀

@Wlodek1410 5 жыл бұрын

Cool video, thanks 👍🏻

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching! If you haven't, consider subscribing to our channel for more exciting vlogs from all around the world: kzfaq.info

@JakeSusla 3 жыл бұрын

Wow a good portion of those items are similar or even cheaper than they are in America.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

For sure!

@mohammedyaqoob2028 3 жыл бұрын

Very good video very useful thanks

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful! Thank you - make sure to check out our other Svalbard Videos!

@mohammedyaqoob2028 3 жыл бұрын

Welcome take care my email yaqoob521980@gmail.com I want start business at svalbard

@b.a.l.i5142 3 жыл бұрын

hi im from indonesia as well, nice meeting u here😍 i loveeeeee to see tt svalbrd town, its soooooooo beautiful and snows evrywhre😍 alrdy subs and pls share more abt ths beautiful island😍🙏 tysm for sharing and take care yesss😍

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Take care and thanks for watching 😀🇮🇩

@Dntbehasty 4 жыл бұрын

some of these prices are lower than what i pay in Canada. where i am is only about 46 degrees north. alcohol is about half.

@theRTWguys 4 жыл бұрын

Dnt Behasty for sure!!

@lesleydujeu1166 3 жыл бұрын

The food prices are actually quite reasonable, actually in the alcool section it's much cheaper than in Canada. The most expensive seem to be veggies, fruits & meat.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

I agree! 😀🇳🇴

@lesleydujeu1166 3 жыл бұрын

@@theRTWguys Yes or no dear Traveller?

@eyeoncountrybytheyoungcoun8546 3 жыл бұрын

Found your video very interesting. Would love to know what people do for jobs there and how the salaries work into the rental their and grocery prices. It there internet there... I assume no TV, radio station. Thanks!

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

You'd be surprised. Internet are quite fast in Svalbard!

@basinstreetdesign5206 2 жыл бұрын

Wow! I'm in Ontario, Canada and those prices would compete with anywhere here. In fact some convenience store are more pricey than this.

@theRTWguys 2 жыл бұрын

I believe that 😬

@michael5725 3 жыл бұрын

Wow. ga nyangka ada orang Indo pernah ke Svalbard :O, cool! It is on my bucket list to visit Svalbard one day in the future.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Iyah dong. Udah pernah ke Antarctica juga -

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Silakan disimak seri Svalbard nya, monggo 😀🇳🇴

@michael5725 3 жыл бұрын

@@theRTWguys wwkwkkw sudah liat beberapa bang, mantep2 travel video kalian. Akan lanjut di tonton yang lainnya. Can't wait when this pandemic over to watch new video adventure kalian.

@michael5725 3 жыл бұрын

@@theRTWguys Keren bang, Antartica pasti amazing banget tapi kekna serem juga.

@michael5725 3 жыл бұрын

@@theRTWguys Oh iya bang, harga2 di Svalbard ga semahal seperti di Barrow (Utqiagvik) di Alaska ya.. dan Svalbard juga jauh lebih indah dari Utqiagvik. xD

@walidifaoui9321 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for idea

@theRTWguys 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching 😬

@iPhone-wn3wb 3 жыл бұрын

So interesting to see! Wonder why the store isn’t called Extra or something, since many products are from Coop

@iPhone-wn3wb 3 жыл бұрын

Extra is big in mainland Norway, the store reminds me of an Extra type of store

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

For sure!

@DawnieRotten 3 жыл бұрын

The prices really aren't that bad. Which I find pretty amazing since the $$$ of groceries in Alaska are WAY expensive, from vids that I've seen.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

For sure 😀

@kerriirvin5206 3 жыл бұрын

Interesting. Thank you.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! 😃

@glennk.7348 3 жыл бұрын

Considering where it is, the prices aren’t bad at all!! One of the most remote civilized places on earth. 😀

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

It is very reasonable for sure!

@AmandaPascali 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much. I will be going to Svalbard in a month for school. This video was so helpful.

@theRTWguys 5 жыл бұрын

Oh Absolutely - I'm glad that you found this useful :) We have several other Svalbard vlogs if you haven't checked them out yet :)

@tonitsi78 3 жыл бұрын

It feels odd to see Finnish text on some of the items in so remote place. The "X-tra" product series is available in the biggest food market chain in Finland also, The S-group.

@theRTWguys 3 жыл бұрын

Pretty cool 😎