Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alesund Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alesund

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $2,242 in Alesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $3,326 in Alesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $4,409 in Alesund, rent included.

Phuket is about 44% cheaper than Alesund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Alesund is 67% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$19.85 NOK 185

-76.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$85.4 NOK 795

-46.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$12.95 NOK 121

-34.90%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$3.95 NOK 36.74

-25.82%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$2.02 NOK 18.83

-65.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$2.19 NOK 20.36

-83.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$10.94 NOK 102

-77.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$9.25 NOK 86.1

-59.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$2.39 NOK 22.27

-6.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.95 NOK 27.45

-37.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$2.89 NOK 26.87

-24.91%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$3.99 NOK 37.10

-44.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$14.13 NOK 132

39.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$13.66 NOK 127

-73.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$22.52 NOK 210

-39.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.74 NOK 25.50

19.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$2.33 NOK 21.68

-30.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.16 NOK 20.13

11.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.68 NOK 34.26

-43.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$2.69 NOK 25.01

-43.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.73 NOK 16.09

-14.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$2.80 NOK 26.10

-64.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$2.14 NOK 19.93

-76.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$13.59 NOK 127

-67.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$18.84 NOK 175

2.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$3.28 NOK 30.56

-45.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$4.24 NOK 39.49

-36.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$4.53 NOK 42.17

-69.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$65.5 NOK 610

-82.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$12.10 NOK 113

-75.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$2.07 NOK 19.30

-52.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$73.6 NOK 685

-80.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$2.19 NOK 20.40

-37.90%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$36.0K NOK 334.9K

-21.61%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$43.3K NOK 403.1K

-24.02%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$242 NOK 2,255

-49.76%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$39.19 NOK 365

-65.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$40.94 NOK 381

-55.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$58.0 NOK 540

3.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$29.85 NOK 278

-42.58%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$17.00 NOK 158

-48.88%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$266 NOK 2,473

161.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$2,461 NOK 22.9K

537.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$84.1 NOK 783

-29.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$43.85 NOK 408

-20.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$110 NOK 1,024

4.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$136 NOK 1,267

-38.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$968 NOK 9,007

-36.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$782 NOK 7,277

-44.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$1,384 NOK 12.9K

51.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,166 NOK 10.9K

29.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$4,672 NOK 43.5K

-19.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$2,516 NOK 23.4K

3.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$4,349 NOK 40.5K

-88.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.03

32.26%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Alesund: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $968 in Alesund. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 756% higher in Alesund, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $85.0 in Alesund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $425 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Phuket vs Alesund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $2,242 in Alesund – roughly 77% apart. Alesund costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $3,363 in Alesund. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $85.0 in Alesund. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $2,242 in Alesund. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Alesund at $2,242. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alesund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Phuket to $2,242 in Alesund. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alesund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.