😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,505 in Mo i Rana versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,800 in Mo i Rana versus $2,286 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,095 in Mo i Rana versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Mo i Rana is roughly 99% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mo i Rana is 86% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.76NOK 245
$4.56฿149
464.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101NOK 963
$46.63฿1,519
117.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.62NOK 129
$8.47฿276
60.80%
Cappuccino
$4.81NOK 45.65
$3.03฿98.6
58.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14NOK 29.84
$0.69฿22.45
355.07%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83NOK 26.90
$0.37฿11.92
664.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$10.26NOK 97.4
$2.49฿81.0
312.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.54NOK 90.6
$3.66฿119
160.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.98NOK 18.76
$2.18฿71.0
-9.17%
White Bread(500g)
$3.30NOK 31.30
$1.90฿62.0
73.68%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.19NOK 30.31
$2.20฿71.6
45.00%
Eggs
$4.14NOK 39.27
$2.22฿72.4
86.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.22NOK 116
$19.99฿651
-38.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.49NOK 138
$3.66฿119
295.90%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$28.57NOK 271
$13.25฿432
115.62%
Apples(1kg)
$3.57NOK 33.86
$3.23฿105
10.53%
Banana(1kg)
$2.50NOK 23.71
$1.70฿55.3
47.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.39NOK 32.20
$2.39฿78.0
41.84%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.37NOK 41.50
$2.08฿67.7
110.10%
Potato(1kg)
$2.46NOK 23.37
$1.59฿51.8
54.72%
Onion(1kg)
$2.58NOK 24.53
$1.48฿48.31
74.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.75NOK 26.13
$1.03฿33.54
166.99%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.84NOK 17.48
$0.52฿16.83
253.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.03NOK 143
$4.25฿138
253.65%
Wine(Bottle)
$24.87NOK 236
$18.79฿612
32.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.26NOK 30.98
$1.76฿57.2
85.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.10NOK 38.87
$2.76฿89.8
48.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.37NOK 41.48
$1.36฿44.32
221.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$72.6NOK 689
$11.36฿370
539.00%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.13NOK 96.2
$3.14฿102
222.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.40NOK 13.30
$1.04฿33.74
34.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$45.92NOK 436
$13.77฿448
233.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.72NOK 25.81
$1.34฿43.79
102.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.9KNOK 340.8K
$27.7K฿901.4K
29.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.7KNOK 358.2K
$33.9K฿1.1M
11.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$243NOK 2,309
$124฿4,025
96.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.85NOK 359
$13.52฿440
179.96%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.3NOK 525
$18.69฿609
195.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.56NOK 461
$61.8฿2,013
-21.45%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.11NOK 343
$17.25฿562
109.33%
Cinema Ticket
$16.40NOK 156
$9.14฿298
79.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$283NOK 2,682
$703฿22.9K
-59.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.3KNOK 97.6K
$15.9K฿517.0K
-35.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.4NOK 924
$59.5฿1,937
63.76%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.4NOK 488
$35.07฿1,142
46.54%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$109NOK 1,033
$115฿3,754
-5.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153NOK 1,451
$84.1฿2,737
81.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,226NOK 11.6K
$619฿20.1K
98.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$887NOK 8,420
$433฿14.1K
105.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,837NOK 17.4K
$2,062฿67.2K
-10.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,527NOK 14.5K
$1,511฿49.2K
1.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,624NOK 62.9K
$3,646฿118.7K
81.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,620NOK 43.9K
$2,626฿85.5K
75.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$507฿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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,226 in Mo i Rana and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $101 in Mo i Rana vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $465 vs $293 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 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,758 in Mo i Rana and $1,892 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: $1,226 in Mo i Rana versus $619 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 539% 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 $283 in Mo i Rana versus $703 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 Mo i Rana or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,505 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 99% less than in Mo i Rana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.