😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,666 in Mo i Rana versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,008 in Mo i Rana versus $2,054 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,350 in Mo i Rana versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Mo i Rana is roughly 117% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mo i Rana is 95% above, Phuket is 10% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.37NOK 154
$4.41฿147
271.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.8NOK 695
$32.26฿1,077
128.70%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.15NOK 143
$8.93฿298
69.65%
Cappuccino
$5.23NOK 49.29
$2.90฿96.6
80.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69NOK 25.32
$0.88฿29.38
205.68%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72NOK 16.20
$0.48฿16.06
258.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$11.93NOK 112
$2.35฿78.5
407.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$10.55NOK 99.4
$3.72฿124
183.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.30NOK 21.68
$1.87฿62.3
22.99%
White Bread(500g)
$4.17NOK 39.28
$1.47฿48.94
183.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.82NOK 36.00
$1.55฿51.8
146.45%
Eggs
$4.91NOK 46.27
$2.10฿70.1
133.81%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.25NOK 134
$19.59฿654
-27.26%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$18.95NOK 179
$3.42฿114
454.09%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$29.91NOK 282
$11.38฿380
162.83%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30NOK 31.06
$2.98฿99.6
10.74%
Banana(1kg)
$2.90NOK 27.36
$1.68฿56.2
72.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.51NOK 33.09
$2.21฿73.7
58.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.89NOK 46.07
$2.16฿72.1
126.39%
Potato(1kg)
$2.87NOK 27.07
$1.52฿50.9
88.82%
Onion(1kg)
$3.01NOK 28.38
$1.34฿44.67
124.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.08NOK 29.00
$1.13฿37.67
172.57%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.17NOK 20.47
$0.55฿18.24
294.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.54NOK 146
$4.26฿142
264.79%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.88NOK 159
$19.09฿637
-11.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.65NOK 34.42
$1.78฿59.4
105.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.06NOK 38.22
$2.78฿92.9
46.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.68NOK 44.12
$2.23฿74.4
109.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$86.2NOK 812
$22.74฿759
278.98%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$11.51NOK 108
$3.03฿101
279.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.97NOK 18.60
$1.02฿34.15
93.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$61.3NOK 578
$3.89฿130
1476.86%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.34NOK 22.01
$1.49฿49.77
57.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.1KNOK 415.8K
$26.6K฿887.3K
66.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$50.6KNOK 476.5K
$27.0K฿902.2K
87.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$249NOK 2,351
$102฿3,420
143.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.66NOK 317
$11.33฿378
197.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.3NOK 493
$17.40฿581
200.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$50.1NOK 472
$52.1฿1,738
-3.76%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$37.65NOK 355
$11.07฿370
240.11%
Cinema Ticket
$17.29NOK 163
$7.69฿257
124.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$252NOK 2,375
$561฿18.7K
-55.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6KNOK 109.1K
$11.5K฿384.1K
0.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104NOK 980
$63.0฿2,104
64.98%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.3NOK 596
$29.52฿986
114.30%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$111NOK 1,042
$98.0฿3,272
12.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$145NOK 1,364
$88.5฿2,954
63.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,228NOK 11.6K
$738฿24.6K
66.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,176NOK 11.1K
$482฿16.1K
143.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,017NOK 19.0K
$2,107฿70.3K
-4.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,475NOK 13.9K
$1,226฿40.9K
20.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,598NOK 62.2K
$3,617฿120.7K
82.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,753NOK 44.8K
$2,603฿86.9K
82.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mo i Rana
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.98
5.57
-10.59%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mo i Rana: September 12, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,228 in Mo i Rana and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $74.0 in Mo i Rana vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $512 vs $274 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 117% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $4,000 in Mo i Rana and $1,847 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: $1,228 in Mo i Rana versus $738 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 279% 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 $252 in Mo i Rana versus $561 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 $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,666 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 117% less than in Mo i Rana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.