😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,406 in Mo i Rana versus $1,264 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,701 in Mo i Rana versus $2,256 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,997 in Mo i Rana versus $3,248 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Mo i Rana is roughly 90% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mo i Rana is 81% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.41NOK 241
$4.48฿150
467.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.4NOK 943
$45.59฿1,521
118.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.56NOK 129
$8.76฿292
54.79%
Cappuccino
$5.06NOK 48.02
$2.97฿99.0
70.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11NOK 29.51
$0.69฿22.90
350.72%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92NOK 27.70
$0.39฿13.04
648.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$10.19NOK 96.6
$2.53฿84.4
302.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.87NOK 93.6
$3.75฿125
163.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.00NOK 18.93
$2.15฿71.6
-6.98%
White Bread(500g)
$3.40NOK 32.23
$1.82฿60.6
86.81%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.32NOK 31.46
$2.18฿72.9
52.29%
Eggs
$4.22NOK 40.04
$2.25฿75.0
87.56%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.86NOK 113
$20.00฿667
-40.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.69NOK 139
$3.63฿121
304.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$28.96NOK 275
$13.56฿452
113.57%
Apples(1kg)
$3.54NOK 33.61
$3.24฿108
9.26%
Banana(1kg)
$2.49NOK 23.65
$1.64฿54.6
51.83%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.41NOK 32.33
$2.33฿77.8
46.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.54NOK 43.07
$2.07฿69.1
119.32%
Potato(1kg)
$2.50NOK 23.67
$1.55฿51.6
61.29%
Onion(1kg)
$2.51NOK 23.79
$1.46฿48.54
71.92%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.73NOK 25.90
$0.98฿32.86
178.57%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.82NOK 17.21
$0.48฿16.09
279.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.32NOK 145
$4.35฿145
252.18%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.25NOK 164
$18.57฿620
-7.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.37NOK 31.99
$1.86฿61.9
81.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.09NOK 38.74
$2.65฿88.6
54.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.32NOK 40.97
$1.42฿47.28
204.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$72.3NOK 686
$11.57฿386
525.06%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.25NOK 97.2
$3.17฿106
223.34%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.40NOK 13.24
$1.03฿34.41
35.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$47.22NOK 448
$13.89฿463
239.96%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.68NOK 25.42
$1.34฿44.84
100.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2KNOK 333.9K
$27.8K฿927.1K
26.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.4KNOK 363.8K
$33.4K฿1.1M
14.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$238NOK 2,258
$123฿4,105
93.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.08NOK 371
$13.77฿459
183.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.7NOK 518
$18.33฿611
198.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.98NOK 474
$60.7฿2,025
-17.65%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.07NOK 342
$17.16฿573
110.20%
Cinema Ticket
$16.47NOK 156
$8.87฿296
85.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$285NOK 2,704
$688฿22.9K
-58.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.2KNOK 96.9K
$15.8K฿526.4K
-35.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.8NOK 909
$59.3฿1,978
61.57%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.4NOK 497
$34.69฿1,157
50.99%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$109NOK 1,033
$115฿3,843
-5.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153NOK 1,454
$83.8฿2,794
83.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,204NOK 11.4K
$621฿20.7K
93.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$910NOK 8,629
$446฿14.9K
104.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,803NOK 17.1K
$2,034฿67.8K
-11.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,541NOK 14.6K
$1,496฿49.9K
3.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,874NOK 55.7K
$3,455฿115.3K
70.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,703NOK 35.1K
$2,531฿84.4K
46.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.38
5.33
-17.82%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mo i Rana: July 25, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,204 in Mo i Rana and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $99.0 in Mo i Rana vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $454 vs $291 per month, with Phuket 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
Mo i Rana vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Mo i Rana?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,608 in Mo i Rana and $1,896 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Mo i Rana and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,204 in Mo i Rana versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 525% less than in Mo i Rana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $285 in Mo i Rana versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Mo i Rana or in Phuket?
At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,406 in Mo i Rana, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mo i Rana. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Mo i Rana or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mo i Rana, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Mo i Rana or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Mo i Rana and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Mo i Rana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.