Cost of Living Comparison Between Molde and Philadelphia, PA Cost of Living Comparison Between Molde and Philadelphia, PA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,402 in Molde versus $2,912 in Philadelphia, PA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,669 in Molde versus $4,380 in Philadelphia, PA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,936 in Molde versus $5,848 in Philadelphia, PA.

Living in Molde costs roughly 18% less than in Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Molde 80% above, Philadelphia, PA 118% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.48 NOK 245

$19.68 $19.68

29.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 NOK 780

$90.9 $90.9

-10.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.40 NOK 129

$12.22 $12.22

9.66%

Cappuccino

$5.07 NOK 48.82

$4.92 $4.92

3.05%

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

$2.91 NOK 27.98

$2.71 $2.71

7.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 NOK 24.78

$1.99 $1.99

29.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.06 NOK 87.3

$5.83 $5.83

55.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.24 NOK 98.6

$6.90 $6.90

48.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 NOK 21.34

$1.37 $1.37

62.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 NOK 29.66

$4.29 $4.29

-28.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.88 NOK 37.36

$10.10 $10.10

-61.58%

Eggs

$3.01 NOK 28.96

$4.47 $4.47

-32.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 NOK 87.6

$14.96 $14.96

-39.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.71 NOK 161

$14.00 $14.00

19.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.54 NOK 265

$21.15 $21.15

30.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 24.27

$6.20 $6.20

-59.35%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 NOK 29.89

$2.24 $2.24

38.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NOK 31.47

$5.25 $5.25

-37.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.73 NOK 55.2

$5.45 $5.45

5.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 NOK 15.07

$3.33 $3.33

-53.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 NOK 21.75

$2.93 $2.93

-22.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 NOK 26.08

$3.00 $3.00

-9.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.64

$2.43 $2.43

-24.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.27 NOK 176

$12.91 $12.91

41.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.68 NOK 218

$14.78 $14.78

53.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 NOK 28.04

$2.01 $2.01

44.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 NOK 39.12

$4.22 $4.22

-3.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.14 NOK 39.88

$2.45 $2.45

68.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 NOK 801

$97.5 $97.5

-14.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.18 NOK 98.0

$2.98 $2.98

241.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 NOK 14.03

$1.54 $1.54

-5.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.86 NOK 442

$21.99 $21.99

108.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.97

$0.88 $0.88

147.73%

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

$35.8K NOK 344.7K

$27.4K $27.4K

30.41%

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

$38.0K NOK 365.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

44.92%

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

$243 NOK 2,341

$268 $268

-9.20%

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

$38.98 NOK 375

$63.1 $63.1

-38.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NOK 542

$75.6 $75.6

-25.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 NOK 472

$49.62 $49.62

-1.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.12 NOK 338

$32.80 $32.80

7.07%

Cinema Ticket

$16.83 NOK 162

$15.22 $15.22

10.58%

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

$199 NOK 1,915

$2,104 $2,104

-90.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K NOK 98.2K

$42.7K $42.7K

-76.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.0 NOK 925

$50.3 $50.3

90.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NOK 512

$41.58 $41.58

27.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 NOK 956

$93.5 $93.5

6.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 NOK 1,451

$145 $145

3.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 NOK 11.4K

$1,744 $1,744

-32.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$880 NOK 8,478

$1,372 $1,372

-35.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 NOK 13.8K

$3,098 $3,098

-53.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 NOK 14.0K

$2,297 $2,297

-36.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,065 $4,065

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,875 $1,875

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,163 NOK 40.1K

$4,600 $4,600

-9.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.75

6.68

-43.86%

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

Last update for Molde: July 11, 2026

Last update for Philadelphia, PA: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,180 in Molde and $1,744 in Philadelphia, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Philadelphia, PA pays 10% 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: $81.0 in Molde vs $91.0 in Philadelphia, PA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $457 vs $491 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

Molde vs Philadelphia, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molde is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Philadelphia, PA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,180 in Molde versus $1,744 in Philadelphia, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $199 in Molde versus $2,104 in Philadelphia, PA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Philadelphia, PA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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.

For families, Molde is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Philadelphia, PA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Molde and Philadelphia, PA 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 21% less than in Philadelphia, PA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.