Cost of Living Comparison Between Askim and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Askim and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,908 in Askim versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,386 in Askim versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,865 in Askim versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Askim is roughly 130% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Askim is 111% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.05 NOK 195

$4.66 ฿154

351.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$130 NOK 1,208

$32.22 ฿1,065

304.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.15 NOK 150

$8.68 ฿287

86.06%

Cappuccino

$5.95 NOK 55.2

$2.90 ฿95.8

105.17%

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

$4.14 NOK 38.36

$0.84 ฿27.89

392.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.19

$0.49 ฿16.16

608.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.63 NOK 108

$2.48 ฿82.0

368.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.93 NOK 120

$3.73 ฿123

246.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 NOK 23.65

$1.89 ฿62.3

34.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.27 NOK 39.57

$1.41 ฿46.54

202.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 NOK 43.62

$1.62 ฿53.6

190.12%

Eggs

$6.22 NOK 57.7

$2.24 ฿74.1

177.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 NOK 140

$19.84 ฿656

-23.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.36 NOK 143

$3.48 ฿115

341.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.73 NOK 276

$11.37 ฿376

161.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 NOK 31.08

$2.90 ฿95.8

15.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.16

$1.72 ฿57.0

57.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 32.04

$2.27 ฿75.1

51.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 NOK 57.0

$2.13 ฿70.4

188.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 NOK 24.60

$1.47 ฿48.72

80.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 NOK 27.73

$1.42 ฿46.92

110.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.23 NOK 29.97

$1.10 ฿36.25

193.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NOK 22.68

$0.60 ฿19.76

308.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.06 NOK 177

$4.31 ฿142

342.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.14 NOK 159

$18.60 ฿615

-7.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.58 NOK 33.18

$1.80 ฿59.5

98.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 NOK 39.84

$2.97 ฿98.0

44.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 42.48

$2.25 ฿74.2

103.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.8 NOK 787

$23.49 ฿776

261.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.31 NOK 114

$3.10 ฿102

297.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 NOK 17.62

$1.08 ฿35.56

75.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$71.1 NOK 660

$3.87 ฿128

1738.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 NOK 21.87

$1.43 ฿47.16

65.03%

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

$49.3K NOK 457.0K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

77.28%

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

$38.8K NOK 359.6K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

43.65%

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

$426 NOK 3,954

$105 ฿3,462

306.73%

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

$32.58 NOK 302

$11.39 ฿376

186.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 NOK 526

$17.54 ฿580

223.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 NOK 465

$54.3 ฿1,795

-7.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.99 NOK 352

$11.44 ฿378

232.08%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 NOK 152

$7.78 ฿257

110.28%

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

$246 NOK 2,278

$576 ฿19.0K

-57.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K NOK 149.8K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

39.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 969

$63.6 ฿2,103

64.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 NOK 568

$29.10 ฿961

110.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 NOK 1,283

$96.2 ฿3,179

43.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,465

$90.0 ฿2,974

75.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 NOK 11.4K

$733 ฿24.2K

68.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 NOK 9,480

$501 ฿16.5K

104.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,015 NOK 18.7K

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-5.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 NOK 15.8K

$1,252 ฿41.4K

36.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,526 NOK 60.5K

$3,534 ฿116.8K

84.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,254 NOK 39.5K

$2,622 ฿86.6K

62.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,325 NOK 40.1K

$508 ฿16.8K

752.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

5.57

-10.95%

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

Last update for Askim: September 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,233 in Askim and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 752% 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: $130 in Askim vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $518 vs $275 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

Askim vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Askim and Phuket differ by about 130% in total monthly costs ($2,908 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 752% higher in Askim, 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: $1,233 in Askim versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $130 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,908 per month in Askim versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 130% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,908 in Askim, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Askim. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Askim 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 130% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.