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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,921 in Philadelphia, PA versus $2,442 in Molde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,324 in Philadelphia, PA versus $3,697 in Molde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,727 in Philadelphia, PA versus $4,952 in Molde.

Living in Philadelphia, PA is roughly 20% more expensive than in Molde, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Philadelphia, PA 114% above, Molde 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.63 $21.63

$30.59 NOK 288

-29.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.2 $80.2

$85.8 NOK 808

-6.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 $12.73

$15.94 NOK 150

-20.14%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$5.17 NOK 48.70

2.51%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$3.29 NOK 31.01

-8.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.58 NOK 33.70

-36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 $6.04

$11.67 NOK 110

-48.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 $7.83

$10.52 NOK 99.2

-25.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$3.13 NOK 29.46

-54.63%

White Bread (500g)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.23 NOK 39.85

2.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.50 $8.50

$4.11 NOK 38.69

106.81%

Eggs

$5.13 $5.13

$5.24 NOK 49.35

-2.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.29 $12.29

$18.57 NOK 175

-33.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.31 $13.31

$16.04 NOK 151

-17.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.08 $18.08

Apples (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$3.48 NOK 32.76

68.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$3.28 NOK 30.89

-50.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$3.08 NOK 28.97

62.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.93 NOK 46.41

3.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.63 NOK 24.80

3.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.43 NOK 22.88

30.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.77 NOK 26.05

-11.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 $13.17

$20.59 NOK 194

-36.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.30 $15.30

$23.72 NOK 223

-35.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$4.17 NOK 39.25

-44.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 $4.35

$8.19 NOK 77.1

-46.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.85 $2.85

$5.20 NOK 48.98

-45.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 $102

$84.8 NOK 798

20.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 $2.75

$16.35 NOK 154

-83.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.60 $23.60

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.31 NOK 21.75

-51.52%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

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

$25.4K $25.4K

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

$217 $217

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

$64.4 $64.4

$21.65 NOK 204

197.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$84.4 NOK 795

-18.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.8 $82.8

$59.7 NOK 563

38.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$93.3 $93.3

Cinema Ticket

$15.41 $15.41

$18.95 NOK 178

-18.68%

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

$2,200 $2,200

$214 NOK 2,013

929.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.6K $41.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.34 $49.34

$113 NOK 1,060

-56.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.60 $47.60

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 $99.4

$139 NOK 1,305

-28.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$162 NOK 1,529

-12.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 $1,961

$1,288 NOK 12.1K

52.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 $1,349

$981 NOK 9,241

37.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,165 $4,165

$1,899 NOK 17.9K

119.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 $2,169

$1,678 NOK 15.8K

29.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,069 $4,069

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,885 $1,885

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,516 $4,516

$4,356 NOK 41.0K

3.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.16

4.8

28.33%

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

Last update for Philadelphia, PA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Molde: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,961 in Philadelphia, PA and $1,288 in Molde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Philadelphia, PA pays 4% 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: $80.0 in Philadelphia, PA vs $86.0 in Molde. Groceries flip the comparison at $459 vs $429, with Molde cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Molde is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Philadelphia, PA, 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: $1,961 in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,288 in Molde. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,200 in Philadelphia, PA versus $214 in Molde. 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, Philadelphia, PA 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 20% less than in Philadelphia, PA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.