😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,297 in Holmestrand versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,561 in Holmestrand versus $2,286 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,826 in Holmestrand versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Holmestrand is roughly 82% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Holmestrand is 71% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.11NOK 181
$4.56฿149
319.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.4NOK 943
$46.63฿1,519
113.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.51NOK 128
$8.47฿276
59.50%
Cappuccino
$4.90NOK 46.47
$3.03฿98.6
61.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06NOK 19.52
$0.69฿22.45
198.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07NOK 19.69
$0.37฿11.92
459.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$9.18NOK 87.1
$2.49฿81.0
268.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.51NOK 90.3
$3.66฿119
159.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.59NOK 15.11
$2.18฿71.0
-27.06%
White Bread(500g)
$3.27NOK 30.99
$1.90฿62.0
72.11%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.06NOK 19.60
$2.20฿71.6
-6.36%
Eggs
$4.01NOK 38.07
$2.22฿72.4
80.63%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.84NOK 103
$19.99฿651
-45.77%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.95NOK 132
$3.66฿119
281.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$40.21NOK 382
$13.25฿432
203.47%
Apples(1kg)
$1.98NOK 18.77
$3.23฿105
-38.70%
Banana(1kg)
$2.33NOK 22.15
$1.70฿55.3
37.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.32NOK 31.51
$2.39฿78.0
38.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.36NOK 22.41
$2.08฿67.7
13.46%
Potato(1kg)
$0.77NOK 7.33
$1.59฿51.8
-51.57%
Onion(1kg)
$1.29NOK 12.22
$1.48฿48.31
-12.84%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.01NOK 28.55
$1.03฿33.54
192.23%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.83NOK 17.33
$0.52฿16.83
251.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.13NOK 134
$4.25฿138
232.47%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.61NOK 177
$18.79฿612
-0.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.01NOK 28.60
$1.76฿57.2
71.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.92NOK 37.21
$2.76฿89.8
42.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.13NOK 39.19
$1.36฿44.32
203.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$73.0NOK 692
$11.36฿370
542.17%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$8.90NOK 84.4
$3.14฿102
183.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.95NOK 9.01
$1.04฿33.74
-8.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$102NOK 970
$13.77฿448
642.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.12NOK 20.12
$1.34฿43.79
58.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.3KNOK 363.7K
$27.7K฿901.4K
38.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4KNOK 326.1K
$33.9K฿1.1M
1.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$216NOK 2,052
$124฿4,025
74.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.01NOK 418
$13.52฿440
225.52%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.22NOK 353
$18.69฿609
99.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.95NOK 465
$61.8฿2,013
-20.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.80NOK 330
$17.25฿562
101.74%
Cinema Ticket
$14.91NOK 142
$9.14฿298
63.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$310NOK 2,941
$703฿22.9K
-55.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.3KNOK 97.3K
$15.9K฿517.0K
-35.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$110NOK 1,040
$59.5฿1,937
84.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.87NOK 284
$35.07฿1,142
-14.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.2NOK 932
$115฿3,754
-14.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133NOK 1,264
$84.1฿2,737
58.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,213NOK 11.5K
$619฿20.1K
96.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$906NOK 8,597
$433฿14.1K
109.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,846NOK 17.5K
$2,062฿67.2K
-10.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,527NOK 14.5K
$1,511฿49.2K
1.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,481NOK 61.5K
$3,646฿118.7K
77.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,913NOK 37.1K
$2,626฿85.5K
49.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Holmestrand
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$507฿16.5K
-
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: June 9, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,213 in Holmestrand and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $99.0 in Holmestrand vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $444 vs $293 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 82% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Holmestrand vs Phuket?
You'd need roughly $3,445 in Holmestrand and $1,892 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Holmestrand vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,213 in Holmestrand versus $619 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 $310 in Holmestrand versus $703 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 52% 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 $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,297 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 $1,261 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 82% 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