Cost of Living Comparison Between Narvik and Phuket Cost 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
$20.04 NOK 187
$4.63 ฿151
332.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$92.2 NOK 860
$46.84 ฿1,523
96.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.01 NOK 140
$8.84 ฿287
69.80%
Cappuccino
$5.45 NOK 50.8
$3.00 ฿97.4
81.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 NOK 23.71
$0.74 ฿24.11
243.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56 NOK 23.82
$0.37 ฿11.88
591.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.00 NOK 102
$2.44 ฿79.3
350.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$11.20 NOK 104
$3.61 ฿117
210.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.39 NOK 22.25
$2.26 ฿73.5
5.75%
White Bread (500g)
$3.30 NOK 30.77
$1.84 ฿59.8
79.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.48 NOK 23.12
$2.24 ฿73.0
10.71%
Eggs
$4.81 NOK 44.80
$2.32 ฿75.3
107.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.42 NOK 106
$19.67 ฿639
-41.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.34 NOK 143
$3.65 ฿119
320.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.71 NOK 202
$13.10 ฿426
65.73%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 NOK 30.59
$3.39 ฿110
-3.24%
Banana (1kg)
$2.06 NOK 19.20
$1.64 ฿53.4
25.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.55 NOK 33.12
$2.41 ฿78.5
47.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.24 NOK 39.54
$2.03 ฿66.0
108.87%
Potato (1kg)
$2.49 NOK 23.24
$1.56 ฿50.6
59.62%
Onion (1kg)
$3.63 NOK 33.86
$1.50 ฿48.66
142.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.73 NOK 25.45
$1.02 ฿33.30
167.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 NOK 16.45
$0.49 ฿15.91
259.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.26 NOK 142
$4.45 ฿145
242.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.75 NOK 184
$18.88 ฿614
4.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.34 NOK 31.12
$1.78 ฿57.7
87.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 NOK 32.84
$2.75 ฿89.5
28.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.16 NOK 48.11
$1.40 ฿45.54
268.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$85.5 NOK 797
$11.48 ฿373
644.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$12.90 NOK 120
$3.12 ฿101
313.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 NOK 12.91
$1.00 ฿32.48
38.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$51.2 NOK 477
$14.09 ฿458
263.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 NOK 19.43
$1.35 ฿43.93
54.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K NOK 281.5K
$27.2K ฿883.7K
11.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.9K NOK 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)
$250 NOK 2,332
$125 ฿4,063
100.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$48.29 NOK 450
$13.57 ฿441
255.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.7 NOK 705
$18.52 ฿602
308.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.0 NOK 512
$61.5 ฿1,999
-10.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.69 NOK 239
$16.84 ฿547
52.55%
Cinema Ticket
$17.03 NOK 159
$9.19 ฿299
85.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$335 NOK 3,123
$698 ฿22.7K
-52.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,159 NOK 66.7K
$15.6K ฿506.9K
-54.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.7 NOK 845
$57.8 ฿1,878
56.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.34 NOK 311
$35.24 ฿1,146
-5.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$132 NOK 1,233
$113 ฿3,677
16.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136 NOK 1,264
$86.4 ฿2,808
57.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$938 NOK 8,738
$616 ฿20.0K
52.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$694 NOK 6,465
$446 ฿14.5K
55.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,557 NOK 14.5K
$2,048 ฿66.6K
-23.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,174 NOK 10.9K
$1,492 ฿48.5K
-21.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,382 NOK 50.2K
$3,779 ฿122.8K
42.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,879 NOK 45.5K
$2,649 ฿86.1K
84.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Narvik
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,657 NOK 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.

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