😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Holmestrand versus $1,270 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,585 in Holmestrand versus $2,304 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,811 in Holmestrand versus $3,339 in Phuket.
😐Living in Holmestrand is roughly 86% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Holmestrand is 76% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.88NOK 176
$4.66฿150
305.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101NOK 943
$46.44฿1,496
118.26%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.22NOK 123
$8.68฿280
52.30%
Cappuccino
$5.02NOK 46.68
$2.95฿95.0
70.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98NOK 18.38
$0.70฿22.52
182.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05NOK 19.02
$0.39฿12.70
425.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$9.17NOK 85.3
$2.53฿81.6
262.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.77NOK 90.9
$3.78฿122
158.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.66NOK 15.43
$2.22฿71.5
-25.23%
White Bread(500g)
$3.32NOK 30.87
$1.80฿57.8
84.44%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.05NOK 19.09
$2.19฿70.4
-6.39%
Eggs
$3.94NOK 36.68
$2.31฿74.5
70.56%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.16NOK 104
$19.34฿623
-42.30%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.18NOK 132
$3.77฿121
276.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$41.11NOK 382
$13.22฿426
210.97%
Apples(1kg)
$2.08NOK 19.30
$3.33฿107
-37.54%
Banana(1kg)
$2.32NOK 21.57
$1.65฿53.1
40.61%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.26NOK 30.33
$2.29฿73.7
42.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.49NOK 23.16
$1.99฿64.1
25.13%
Potato(1kg)
$0.79NOK 7.39
$1.53฿49.24
-48.37%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34NOK 12.43
$1.51฿48.77
-11.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.86NOK 26.60
$1.03฿33.12
177.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.85NOK 17.21
$0.51฿16.57
262.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.02NOK 130
$4.41฿142
217.91%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.81NOK 175
$19.41฿625
-3.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.00NOK 27.92
$1.80฿58.0
66.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02NOK 37.36
$2.68฿86.4
50.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.35NOK 40.42
$1.43฿46.11
204.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$73.0NOK 679
$11.70฿377
524.19%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$8.66NOK 80.5
$3.04฿97.9
184.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.97NOK 8.99
$1.04฿33.37
-6.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$102NOK 949
$13.68฿441
645.61%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.13NOK 19.78
$1.30฿41.85
63.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2KNOK 355.0K
$27.9K฿898.9K
36.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.2KNOK 317.8K
$33.0K฿1.1M
3.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$219NOK 2,032
$123฿3,962
77.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$42.93NOK 399
$13.82฿445
210.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.27NOK 356
$18.86฿608
102.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.71NOK 453
$61.2฿1,970
-20.34%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.08NOK 336
$16.81฿541
114.63%
Cinema Ticket
$14.94NOK 139
$8.87฿286
68.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$303NOK 2,814
$696฿22.4K
-56.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.1KNOK 94.1K
$16.1K฿517.4K
-37.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$112NOK 1,038
$59.3฿1,910
88.24%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.85NOK 287
$34.85฿1,123
-11.48%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9NOK 929
$113฿3,646
-11.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129NOK 1,200
$85.1฿2,740
51.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,206NOK 11.2K
$615฿19.8K
95.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$878NOK 8,168
$448฿14.4K
95.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,800NOK 16.7K
$2,085฿67.2K
-13.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,543NOK 14.4K
$1,496฿48.2K
3.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,023NOK 56.0K
$3,734฿120.3K
61.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,461NOK 41.5K
$2,662฿85.8K
67.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,733NOK 34.7K
$534฿17.2K
599.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2
5.33
-62.48%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Holmestrand: April 21, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,206 in Holmestrand and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Holmestrand pays 600% 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: $101 in Holmestrand vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $451 vs $291 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
Holmestrand vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Holmestrand or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Holmestrand. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Holmestrand or Phuket?
Holmestrand pays 600% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Holmestrand vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,206 in Holmestrand versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Holmestrand and Phuket?
Childcare runs $303 in Holmestrand versus $696 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Holmestrand or Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Holmestrand. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Holmestrand or Phuket?
At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,359 in Holmestrand, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Holmestrand. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Holmestrand or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,270 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Holmestrand compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Holmestrand 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Holmestrand. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Holmestrand vs other spots: cost of living compared