When you crank the handle of a Jack-in-a-Box you know the clown is going to pop out, but you don't know when or to what extent. Moving overseas is like this classic toy, you know there will be surprises but you don't know what and/or when.
As part of our preparation for our expat assignment to Norway we attended cultural training classes to help prepare us for the adventure we were about to embark on. Most of the surprises we experienced when we arrived were easily assimilated. The greatest shock I experienced was the sticker variety. At the time of our move most items in Norway costed three to five times the price as similar products in the US. I felt guilty buying food, it was difficult justifying paying those high prices. I started to ration the food I ate. A slight annoying hunger became a constant companion. The ferry to Denmark had a buffet, it wasn't very good but I could finally eat my fill. After a month a half I had lost 15 lbs. (6.8 kg). My wife set me straight and told me to eat and not worry about the price. It was tough but I did get back to heating healthy portions.
Costs in Norway may have been higher but food was not a place to cut back. After some time we did come to accept what was a normal price for Norway was now normal for us. My experiences resulted in the knowledge of where, when and how to get a good deal and in some cases a better deal than in the US.
On a related note I have noticed that their is a high correlation between cost of living and salaries. i.e. if the cost of living is high salaries tend to be generous, a low cost of living equates lower salaries.
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