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: $2,569 in Askim versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,990 in Askim versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,410 in Askim versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in Askim is roughly 104% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Askim is 92% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 NOK 243

$4.53 ฿153

458.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 NOK 1,170

$46.36 ฿1,565

163.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.07 NOK 145

$8.65 ฿292

74.22%

Cappuccino

$4.92 NOK 47.21

$3.09 ฿104

59.22%

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

$4.06 NOK 38.90

$0.68 ฿22.89

497.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 NOK 31.85

$0.37 ฿12.44

797.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.13 NOK 116

$2.42 ฿81.6

401.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.21 NOK 108

$3.81 ฿129

194.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 NOK 22.77

$2.18 ฿73.5

8.72%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 NOK 39.62

$1.82 ฿61.3

126.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.48

$2.18 ฿73.5

65.14%

Eggs

$5.04 NOK 48.35

$2.24 ฿75.4

125.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 NOK 126

$19.93 ฿673

-33.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.34 NOK 157

$3.64 ฿123

348.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.44 NOK 302

$13.56 ฿458

131.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 33.08

$3.29 ฿111

4.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 24.47

$1.69 ฿56.9

50.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 NOK 32.27

$2.33 ฿78.8

44.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 NOK 49.35

$2.03 ฿68.4

153.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 NOK 23.41

$1.60 ฿54.0

52.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 25.20

$1.49 ฿50.5

76.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 NOK 27.22

$1.01 ฿34.17

181.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 NOK 22.23

$0.48 ฿16.09

383.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.34 NOK 166

$4.45 ฿150

289.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.73 NOK 180

$18.63 ฿629

0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 NOK 33.86

$1.79 ฿60.3

97.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 NOK 40.17

$2.80 ฿94.4

49.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.22 NOK 40.46

$1.42 ฿47.90

197.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 NOK 699

$11.33 ฿382

543.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NOK 99.0

$3.09 ฿104

233.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 NOK 13.34

$1.04 ฿35.19

33.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.16 NOK 404

$13.63 ฿460

209.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.80

$1.31 ฿44.23

73.28%

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

$35.7K NOK 342.8K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

31.04%

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

$35.9K NOK 344.1K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

8.01%

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

$300 NOK 2,875

$123 ฿4,157

143.42%

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

$30.99 NOK 297

$13.81 ฿466

124.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 NOK 540

$18.52 ฿625

204.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.39 NOK 474

$60.4 ฿2,037

-18.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.48 NOK 340

$16.80 ฿567

111.19%

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 NOK 145

$8.89 ฿300

69.85%

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

$271 NOK 2,599

$687 ฿23.2K

-60.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K NOK 140.2K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

-6.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 1,002

$57.6 ฿1,945

81.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.2 NOK 625

$34.66 ฿1,170

88.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 NOK 1,184

$115 ฿3,879

7.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 NOK 1,581

$84.9 ฿2,865

94.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 NOK 11.8K

$618 ฿20.8K

98.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 NOK 8,645

$443 ฿15.0K

103.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,847 NOK 17.7K

$2,047 ฿69.1K

-9.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 NOK 14.7K

$1,506 ฿50.8K

1.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,887 NOK 56.5K

$3,568 ฿120.4K

64.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,936 NOK 37.8K

$2,511 ฿84.7K

56.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,146 NOK 39.8K

$503 ฿17.0K

724.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

5.33

-4.69%

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

Last update for Askim: July 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,228 in Askim and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 725% 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: $122 in Askim vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $502 vs $292 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 104% in total monthly costs ($2,569 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 725% 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: $1,228 in Askim versus $618 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 $46.00 versus $122 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,569 per month in Askim versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,569 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 104% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.