Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge, MA and Molde Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge, MA and Molde

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,461 in Cambridge, MA versus $2,442 in Molde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,729 in Cambridge, MA versus $3,697 in Molde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,996 in Cambridge, MA versus $4,952 in Molde.

Living in Cambridge, MA is roughly 83% more expensive than in Molde, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge, MA 226% above, Molde 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.53 $19.53

$30.59 NOK 288

-36.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$85.8 NOK 808

16.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$15.94 NOK 150

-23.40%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$5.17 NOK 48.70

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.29 NOK 31.01

-7.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.58 NOK 33.70

-31.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.22 $8.22

$11.67 NOK 110

-29.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.79 $7.79

$10.52 NOK 99.2

-25.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$3.13 NOK 29.46

-65.18%

White Bread (500g)

$4.21 $4.21

$4.23 NOK 39.85

-0.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$4.11 NOK 38.69

56.93%

Eggs

$4.86 $4.86

$5.24 NOK 49.35

-7.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.09 $15.09

$18.57 NOK 175

-18.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.81 $13.81

$16.04 NOK 151

-13.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.06 $19.06

Apples (1kg)

$7.00 $7.00

$3.48 NOK 32.76

101.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$3.28 NOK 30.89

-47.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$3.08 NOK 28.97

78.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$4.93 NOK 46.41

28.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.63 NOK 24.80

45.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.43 NOK 22.88

49.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.77 NOK 26.05

2.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.68 $12.68

$20.59 NOK 194

-38.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.42 $16.42

$23.72 NOK 223

-30.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$4.17 NOK 39.25

-55.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.41 $5.41

$8.19 NOK 77.1

-33.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 $2.50

$5.20 NOK 48.98

-51.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.6 $90.6

$84.8 NOK 798

6.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 $2.04

$16.35 NOK 154

-87.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.98 $10.98

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.31 NOK 21.75

-56.28%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.2K $37.2K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.0K $26.0K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$229 $229

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$54.5 $54.5

$21.65 NOK 204

151.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.1 $79.1

$84.4 NOK 795

-6.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 $74.1

$59.7 NOK 563

24.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.47 $29.47

Cinema Ticket

$14.91 $14.91

$18.95 NOK 178

-21.32%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,833 $2,833

$214 NOK 2,013

1225.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.2K $36.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 $73.9

$113 NOK 1,060

-34.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.41 $49.41

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$139 NOK 1,305

-25.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$162 NOK 1,529

-13.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,406 $3,406

$1,288 NOK 12.1K

164.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,839 $2,839

$981 NOK 9,241

189.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,214 $5,214

$1,899 NOK 17.9K

174.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,576 $3,576

$1,678 NOK 15.8K

113.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,907 $4,907

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,061 $5,061

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,226 $6,226

$4,356 NOK 41.0K

42.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

4.8

29.79%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cambridge, MA: September 12, 2026

Last update for Molde: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,406 in Cambridge, MA and $1,288 in Molde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 43% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $100 in Cambridge, MA vs $86.0 in Molde for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $485 vs $429 per month, with Molde cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cambridge, MA vs Molde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molde wins on cost – living expenses run 83% lower than in Cambridge, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Molde the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 43% higher in Cambridge, MA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,406 in Cambridge, MA versus $1,288 in Molde. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Cambridge, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Molde – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $100 in Cambridge, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Molde is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Molde delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,442 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Molde hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cambridge, MA and Molde are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Molde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.