A continuous consumer price index for Norway 1492-2017

Abstract

This manuscript presents a new combined annual cost of living and consumer price index for Norway covering the period 1492-2017. When previous Norwegian historical consumer price indices partly were constructed on the basis of very limited data, the new historical index is constructed on a significantly richer data material. This is made possible by the compilation of quantitative data from numerous sources, mostly originating from the eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth century.The new index makes it possible to follow annual living costs in Norway for 525 years. When comparing to existing price indices the new series reveals that it is needed to make some major revisions of Norwegian price history.