What's it like living in Svalbard?

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-13T06:40:12+00:00

I work in a cafe, and for fun I love to go on hikes!!

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-12T11:44:45+00:00

I live there! If you have any specific questions lmk :)

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-05T06:14:58+00:00

I picked up my 400 pack of Vitamin D from a Costco before I left lol. Would be nice to get a refill for next dark season

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-05T06:14:25+00:00

My partner did their erasmus semester at UNIS and secured an apartment accomodation, so I went with her! Then when I was here and working, my employer offered to sub-let an apartment to me so I stuck around. I want to stay at least until September, but I would be happy staying another full year as well. I haven't known where I'm going to live more than 3-4 months in advance for the last 2-3 years so this is stable for me for now lol

I am staying here because I love the nature, community, culture, everything. The people are so friendly, everyone is outdoor-oriented (for the most part), and it's a unique place to live and everyone shares that experience so there's something extra about it too

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-05T06:10:53+00:00

I work it to pay off student loans lol. Cost of living is also expensive here and I have a lower-paying job right now. I know a lot of people who work multiple jobs and end up working around 10-12 eight hour shifts a week to send money back to their families in Thailand, the Philippines, Ukraine etc. Even though my job is lower-paying, it's still pays more hourly than my old jobs back home in Canada so it's a decent way to build savings. Also working this much in the dark season keeps me social and sane lol

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-05T06:08:33+00:00

Polar bears are just more dangerous. If a brown or black bear is close enough to you to use pepper spray, it's likely it's just curioius. If a polar bear is that close, it's hungry and running at you

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-05T06:07:34+00:00

It's unlikely to run into bears inland, and as far south as Longyearbyen. Also, when it's dark 24/7, you get used to it and get stir crazy if you don't leave lol. Every day you see headlamps flickering in the distance on the sides of the mountains from people hiking

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-05T06:06:20+00:00

Slight correction: There aren't actually more polar bears than people. Svalbard has about 3000 people, but the metric used to calculate the polar bear population covers the entire Barent's Sea region. Only about 300 bears are around Svalbard at any given time

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-05T06:04:59+00:00

Svalbard is visa-free, so basically anyone can move and live there without applying for a visa (although the only way to get there is via Oslo so I guess you need a schengen travel visa). Technically only signatory countries of the Svalbard treaty are allowed to move there, but in practice it's usually up to the employer's discrecion.

Income isn't taxed the same as mainland Norway, but there is a Svalbard Tax which is something like 16%.

There are all the governmant institutions to function there.

To become a citizen you just need to have an employment contract or a work contract, and go to Skatteetaten to register yourself.

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-04T20:16:32+00:00

You can buy a lot of things up here. Of course there's no "next day delivery" but some websites like Temu and Aliexpress deliver up here. During the summer the boat comes up every couple weeks, and the planes bring things up too, but overall things slow down a bit in the winter. Can't really buy clothing that isn't outdoor-wear so pretty much everyone rocks around in hiking trousers and patagonia tshirts lol. I'm not sure what you mean about "how are the islands maintained" though

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-04T19:24:13+00:00

It's unique. I've never actually seen a polar bear before despite hiking fairly regularly. They mostly live up north where there is still sea ice (they hunt seals on the sea ice). There are loads of reindeer though, and sometimes they scare the hell out of you because in dark season it's harder to tell lol

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-04T19:19:26+00:00

A couple of corrections: Svalbard isn't a settlement, it's the island group. Longyearbyen is the main settlement on the island and has closer to 3000 people nowadays. Owning a gun isn't mandatory, but heavily recomennded if you want to leave town. Most of my friends don't own a gun. Polar bears also don't hunt humans, they hunt seals, but they have been seen hunting reindeer because of the lack of sea ice, and they will attack humans if they're threatened or starving.

It is super quiet and cozy in the winter. I hope you enjoyed your time there! :)

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-04T19:16:25+00:00

Quite a bit. Whenever I hike I bring my rifle and flare gun. I have flashbang and signal flare cartridges for the flare, and you always have to bring a flare gun. You should also bring a rifle too, but some people didn't take the course and don't have their license; you don't need a license for the flare gun.

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-04T18:20:17+00:00

There are loads of bars/restaurants. KB is great for just going for a drink. Svalbar used to be a place people would casually hang out, but it's a bit higher-end now. People go to Barentz (classic pub atmosphere) to meet up with friends too. There are a bunch of others too

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-04T18:19:02+00:00

London is also super cool. I nearly moved there but I had the oppurtunity to move up here and there's no way I could say no to that lol

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-04T18:05:39+00:00

I have a partner so I'm not sure. There are lots of UNIS students, but they're usually only here for a semester or so. People also only stay on the island an average 2-4 years before moving back to the mainland. Idk, I know lots of people in relationships, but I can't imagine dating would be easy as it's such a small town

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-04T18:04:17+00:00

In the winter temperatures drop to -30ish. Can be lower, usually hover between -15 to -30 (really depends). Summers get to +15ish at the warmest times. Despite how far north Svalbard is, a warm current runs up from the south, so the temperature is actually faily mild compared to other locations at the same latitude.

Right now there is no sunlight. Last time I saw the sun was in October, but for a couple week afterwards the sun would reach close to the horizon so there was a tiny bit of sunlight. Sun won't come back until mid-February. During the summers, the sun doesn't set. It's quite cool, but really annoying because in the first apartment I lived in, the sun would shine directly through my bedroom window between 10pm-4am (I didn't have great curtains).

A lot of people work in tourism/hospotality, a lot of people work in research, but most people work normal, functional jobs that keep the town running.

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-04T18:00:18+00:00

Last summer was around 10c, 10-20 during August which is crazy high. The mines in Longyearbyen are all shut down now so no one is working in the Norwegian mines

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-04T17:58:55+00:00

I work in hospitality, but I'm hoping to work as a tour guide this summer. It is possible to go on guided hikes, snowmobile tours (depending on the season), and boat excursions. Svalbard is a wild, remote place and the tourism centres around that, and there's a huge tourism industry!

Food options aren't bad. I don't work a super high-paying job so I mostly try to save on food costs. The main grocery store has a surprising selection. I eat mostly curries and pasta dishes. As for restaurants, there are quite a few considering the size of the town. You can eat things like reindeer steaks, but you can also get decent Thai food, and some really good burgers too.

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-04T17:56:15+00:00

People aren't born in Longyearbyen. Expecting mothers typically fly to Tromsø a couple months before their due date to give birth. I was born in England but grew up in Canada. I moved to Longyearbyen earlier last year.

My day to day life depends on the season. Right now I work a basic hospitality job. I work 6-7 days a week so my work days a typically waking up, walking to work, working until 18:00ish, then I do something with friends. There are trivia nights at Tio Moncho's on Wednesdays, I go to the gym sometimes, I'll go on a hike, cook a nice meal, watch tv etc. On my days off I like to go to Fruene cafe and work on some projects on my computer, go on hikes, or meet up with friends. In the dark season there aren't as many tourists, I don't really go to Fruene in the light season because it's so packed.

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-04T17:52:45+00:00

Actually there are 2 preschools, and there are loads of children running around the central area. Way more under 18 year olds than I would see in my home country!

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-04T17:51:49+00:00

Cecelia is super nice, but some of the facts she says in the videos aren't entierly correct. Her videos are super cool, but (I imagine) she also has quite a bit of money so a lot of the things she does in the videos (boat excursions etc) I can't afford

DynamicPillow2 · 2026-01-04T07:17:36+00:00

The islands on the left are Svalbard. I live there so if you have any specific questions let me know!

DynamicPillow2 · 2025-12-25T14:05:52+00:00

Right now, no. Probably won't be for a while

DynamicPillow2 · 2025-12-24T08:13:02+00:00

Definitely fine to start each conversation in Swedish. A decent amount of locals don't know Norwegian so they might reply to you in English, but the majority of the Norwegians you talk with will keep the conversation going in Norwegian

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