Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Norman, OK and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,222 in Norman, OK, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Norman, OK, United States
Phuket, Thailand
Norman, OK
🇺🇸 United States
$2,222
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Norman, OK and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Norman, OK and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,222 per month in Norman, OK vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Norman, OK $2,222
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $3,190 per month in Norman, OK vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Norman, OK $3,190
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $4,157 per month in Norman, OK vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Norman, OK $4,157
  • Phuket $3,154

Norman, OK costs about 74% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Norman, OK sits 63% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Norman, OK
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.23 $18.23
$4.47 ฿151
307.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.1 $59.1
$32.41 ฿1,093
82.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 $11.79
$8.81 ฿297
33.83%
Cappuccino
$6.32 $6.32
$2.83 ฿95.4
123.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 $2.88
$0.87 ฿29.40
231.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 $2.32
$0.49 ฿16.65
373.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.48 $5.48
$2.56 ฿86.3
114.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.23 $8.23
$3.68 ฿124
123.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Norman, OK
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.96 $0.96
$1.66 ฿55.9
-42.17%
White Bread (500g)
$3.66 $3.66
$1.46 ฿49.29
150.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.62 $3.62
$1.50 ฿50.5
141.33%
Eggs
$3.77 $3.77
$2.09 ฿70.5
80.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.99 $10.99
$19.07 ฿643
-42.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.76 $10.76
$3.30 ฿111
226.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.50 $19.50
$10.91 ฿368
78.74%
Apples (1kg)
$4.88 $4.88
$2.93 ฿98.8
66.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.80 $1.80
$1.69 ฿57.0
6.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.37 $4.37
$2.25 ฿75.7
94.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.13 $4.13
$2.08 ฿70.0
98.56%
Potato (1kg)
$2.62 $2.62
$1.51 ฿51.0
73.51%
Onion (1kg)
$2.96 $2.96
$1.38 ฿46.51
114.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.07 ฿35.95
107.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.37 $2.37
$0.52 ฿17.50
355.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.79 $9.79
$4.20 ฿142
133.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.03 $14.03
$18.79 ฿634
-25.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 $1.91
$1.82 ฿61.4
4.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24 $3.24
$2.84 ฿95.8
14.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Norman, OK
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.45 ฿48.97
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$56.7 ฿1,911
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$3.02 ฿102
-9.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.24 $1.24
$1.02 ฿34.32
21.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.41 $24.41
$3.69 ฿124
561.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.47 ฿49.75
-33.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K $27.7K
$26.8K ฿903.2K
3.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$26.7K ฿900.3K
-3.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Norman, OK
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$191 $191
$96.4 ฿3,250
97.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$84.4 $84.4
$11.26 ฿380
649.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$83.5 $83.5
$16.85 ฿568
395.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Norman, OK
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.46 $34.46
$67.2 ฿2,268
-48.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.73 ฿362
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.03 $15.03
$7.50 ฿253
100.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Norman, OK
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,539 $1,539
$476 ฿16.1K
223.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.0K $24.0K
$11.3K ฿379.9K
112.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Norman, OK
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 $53.8
$62.4 ฿2,103
-13.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.25 $41.25
$28.41 ฿958
45.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 $105
$94.3 ฿3,180
10.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$142 $142
$85.8 ฿2,894
65.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Norman, OK
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,114 $1,114
$716 ฿24.1K
55.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$925 $925
$491 ฿16.6K
88.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,650 $1,650
$1,927 ฿65.0K
-14.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,387 $1,387
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-3.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,324 $2,324
$4,175 ฿140.8K
-44.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,586 $1,586
$3,045 ฿102.7K
-47.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Norman, OK
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,903 $3,903
$502 ฿16.9K
677.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.62
5.57
18.85%

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

Last update for Norman, OK: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Norman, OK
$925
Phuket
$491 46.9% $434
Groceries & Markets
Norman, OK
$390
Phuket
$266 31.7% $123
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Norman, OK
$359
Phuket
$124 65.3% $234
Eating Out
Norman, OK
$322
Phuket
$122 62.2% $200
Clothing & Footwear
Norman, OK
$154
Phuket
$122 20.7% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Norman, OK
$65
Phuket
$82 27.4% $18
Getting Around
Norman, OK
$8.9 *
Phuket
$71 690% $62

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,114 in Norman, OK versus $716 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Norman, OK are about 7.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59 in Norman, OK versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 vs $266 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Norman, OK
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
17:38 5:38 PM
06:38 6:38 AM
13 h ahead of Norman, OK
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
102,827
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Norman, OK Phuket 14,940 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Norman, OK
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Norman, OK vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Norman, OK?
Yes – Norman, OK is pricier by about 74%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,333 per month in Norman, OK and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $1,114 in Norman, OK.
What are total monthly expenses in Norman, OK and in Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,222 in Norman, OK and $1,278 in Phuket. That makes Phuket about 42% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,539 per month in Norman, OK and $476 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Norman, OK or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Norman, OK at $2,222. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Norman, OK it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Norman, OK or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Norman, OK makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Norman, OK vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?