Cost of Living Comparison Between Narvik and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Narvik and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,281 in Narvik versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,445 in Narvik versus $2,255 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,609 in Narvik versus $3,279 in Phuket.
😐Living in Narvik is roughly 85% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Narvik is 70% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.04NOK 187
$4.63฿151
332.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$92.2NOK 860
$46.84฿1,523
96.93%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.01NOK 140
$8.84฿287
69.80%
Cappuccino
$5.45NOK 50.8
$3.00฿97.4
81.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54NOK 23.71
$0.74฿24.11
243.24%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56NOK 23.82
$0.37฿11.88
591.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$11.00NOK 102
$2.44฿79.3
350.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$11.20NOK 104
$3.61฿117
210.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.39NOK 22.25
$2.26฿73.5
5.75%
White Bread(500g)
$3.30NOK 30.77
$1.84฿59.8
79.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.48NOK 23.12
$2.24฿73.0
10.71%
Eggs
$4.81NOK 44.80
$2.32฿75.3
107.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.42NOK 106
$19.67฿639
-41.94%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.34NOK 143
$3.65฿119
320.27%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$21.71NOK 202
$13.10฿426
65.73%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28NOK 30.59
$3.39฿110
-3.24%
Banana(1kg)
$2.06NOK 19.20
$1.64฿53.4
25.61%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.55NOK 33.12
$2.41฿78.5
47.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.24NOK 39.54
$2.03฿66.0
108.87%
Potato(1kg)
$2.49NOK 23.24
$1.56฿50.6
59.62%
Onion(1kg)
$3.63NOK 33.86
$1.50฿48.66
142.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.73NOK 25.45
$1.02฿33.30
167.65%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.76NOK 16.45
$0.49฿15.91
259.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.26NOK 142
$4.45฿145
242.92%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.75NOK 184
$18.88฿614
4.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.34NOK 31.12
$1.78฿57.7
87.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52NOK 32.84
$2.75฿89.5
28.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$5.16NOK 48.11
$1.40฿45.54
268.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$85.5NOK 797
$11.48฿373
644.43%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$12.90NOK 120
$3.12฿101
313.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.38NOK 12.91
$1.00฿32.48
38.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$51.2NOK 477
$14.09฿458
263.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.08NOK 19.43
$1.35฿43.93
54.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2KNOK 281.5K
$27.2K฿883.7K
11.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.9KNOK 288.2K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-6.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$250NOK 2,332
$125฿4,063
100.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$48.29NOK 450
$13.57฿441
255.86%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.7NOK 705
$18.52฿602
308.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$55.0NOK 512
$61.5฿1,999
-10.61%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.69NOK 239
$16.84฿547
52.55%
Cinema Ticket
$17.03NOK 159
$9.19฿299
85.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$335NOK 3,123
$698฿22.7K
-52.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,159NOK 66.7K
$15.6K฿506.9K
-54.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.7NOK 845
$57.8฿1,878
56.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.34NOK 311
$35.24฿1,146
-5.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$132NOK 1,233
$113฿3,677
16.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136NOK 1,264
$86.4฿2,808
57.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$938NOK 8,738
$616฿20.0K
52.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$694NOK 6,465
$446฿14.5K
55.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,557NOK 14.5K
$2,048฿66.6K
-23.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,174NOK 10.9K
$1,492฿48.5K
-21.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,382NOK 50.2K
$3,779฿122.8K
42.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,879NOK 45.5K
$2,649฿86.1K
84.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,657NOK 34.1K
$524฿17.0K
598.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.27
5.33
-19.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Narvik: April 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $938 in Narvik and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Narvik pays 598% 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: $92.0 in Narvik vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $436 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
Narvik vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Narvik?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Narvik or Phuket?
Narvik pays 598% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Narvik and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $938 in Narvik versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Narvik vs Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,281 per month in Narvik versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 644% less than in Narvik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Narvik or Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,281 in Narvik, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Narvik. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Narvik or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Narvik, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Narvik or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Narvik 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Narvik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.