Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandal and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandal and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,415 in Mandal versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,779 in Mandal versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,143 in Mandal versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Mandal is roughly 91% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mandal is 81% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.83 NOK 238

$4.48 ฿150

454.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,164

$45.59 ฿1,525

166.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.14 NOK 145

$8.76 ฿293

72.83%

Cappuccino

$5.17 NOK 49.56

$2.97 ฿99.3

74.07%

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

$3.94 NOK 37.80

$0.69 ฿22.96

471.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NOK 31.66

$0.39 ฿13.07

746.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.14 NOK 107

$2.53 ฿84.7

340.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.00 NOK 96.0

$3.75 ฿125

166.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 NOK 21.12

$2.15 ฿71.8

2.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 NOK 30.03

$1.82 ฿60.7

71.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.65 NOK 44.58

$2.18 ฿73.1

113.30%

Eggs

$3.08 NOK 29.57

$2.25 ฿75.2

36.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 NOK 124

$20.00 ฿669

-35.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.88 NOK 152

$3.63 ฿121

337.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.97 NOK 259

$13.56 ฿453

98.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 NOK 34.18

$3.24 ฿109

9.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 NOK 25.01

$1.64 ฿54.7

59.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NOK 29.72

$2.33 ฿78.0

33.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 NOK 45.89

$2.07 ฿69.3

130.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 NOK 20.47

$1.55 ฿51.8

37.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 NOK 29.04

$1.46 ฿48.67

107.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 NOK 14.91

$0.98 ฿32.94

58.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.55

$0.48 ฿16.13

281.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.00 NOK 144

$4.35 ฿146

244.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.44 NOK 177

$18.57 ฿621

-0.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 NOK 29.82

$1.86 ฿62.1

67.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 NOK 28.31

$2.65 ฿88.8

11.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.32 NOK 41.40

$1.42 ฿47.40

204.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 NOK 692

$11.57 ฿387

523.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 NOK 52.1

$3.17 ฿106

71.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 NOK 9.60

$1.03 ฿34.51

-2.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$100 NOK 963

$13.89 ฿465

622.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 NOK 20.60

$1.34 ฿44.96

60.45%

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

$34.5K NOK 330.6K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

24.02%

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

$32.7K NOK 313.6K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-2.08%

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

$190 NOK 1,824

$123 ฿4,116

54.54%

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

$32.73 NOK 314

$13.77 ฿461

137.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.3 NOK 799

$18.33 ฿613

354.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.46 NOK 474

$60.7 ฿2,030

-18.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.77 NOK 334

$17.16 ฿574

102.62%

Cinema Ticket

$19.07 NOK 183

$8.87 ฿297

114.99%

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

$324 NOK 3,110

$688 ฿23.0K

-52.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 123.7K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-18.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 NOK 1,153

$59.3 ฿1,984

102.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 NOK 577

$34.69 ฿1,160

73.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NOK 997

$115 ฿3,853

-9.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,546

$83.8 ฿2,802

92.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 NOK 11.8K

$621 ฿20.8K

98.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 NOK 8,556

$446 ฿14.9K

99.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 NOK 17.8K

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-8.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 NOK 14.9K

$1,496 ฿50.0K

4.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,052 NOK 58.1K

$3,455 ฿115.6K

75.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,993 NOK 38.3K

$2,531 ฿84.7K

57.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,304 NOK 41.3K

$494 ฿16.5K

771.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

5.33

-15.38%

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

Last update for Mandal: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,230 in Mandal and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandal pays 772% 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: $121 in Mandal vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $452 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

Mandal vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 772% higher in Mandal, 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: $1,230 in Mandal versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,415 per month in Mandal versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 524% less than in Mandal. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,415 in Mandal, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mandal. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mandal, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mandal 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 91% less than in Mandal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.