🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,533 in Åndalsnes.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $3,690 in Åndalsnes.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $4,847 in Åndalsnes.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 51% less than in Åndalsnes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Åndalsnes is 89% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Åndalsnes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$17.04NOK 159
-72.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$45.88NOK 428
2.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$12.35NOK 115
-28.42%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$4.88NOK 45.50
-38.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$3.52NOK 32.84
-78.98%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$2.92NOK 27.24
-87.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$8.00NOK 74.6
-69.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$10.19NOK 95.0
-64.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Åndalsnes
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$2.60NOK 24.24
-13.08%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$3.65NOK 33.98
-49.59%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$3.79NOK 35.33
-40.90%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$4.65NOK 43.30
-50.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$12.39NOK 116
58.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$15.13NOK 141
-75.88%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$28.80NOK 268
-54.51%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$3.86NOK 35.95
-12.18%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$2.88NOK 26.83
-43.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$2.56NOK 23.83
-5.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$5.08NOK 47.33
-60.04%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$2.90NOK 27.03
-46.21%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$3.24NOK 30.19
-53.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$3.18NOK 29.63
-67.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$2.53NOK 23.59
-80.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$15.45NOK 144
-71.20%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$19.28NOK 180
-2.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$3.64NOK 33.88
-51.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$4.81NOK 44.85
-42.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Åndalsnes
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$4.28NOK 39.90
-67.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$73.0NOK 680
-84.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$15.22NOK 142
-79.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$2.16NOK 20.11
-53.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$90.0NOK 839
-84.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$2.13NOK 19.83
-36.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$31.8KNOK 296.5K
-14.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$43.1KNOK 401.5K
-23.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Åndalsnes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$321NOK 2,995
-61.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$20.57NOK 192
-34.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$74.3NOK 693
-75.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Åndalsnes
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$49.14NOK 458
25.11%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$35.35NOK 329
-52.36%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$17.22NOK 161
-46.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Åndalsnes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$326NOK 3,037
114.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$8,557NOK 79.7K
82.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Åndalsnes
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$111NOK 1,034
-47.93%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$48.92NOK 456
-27.96%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$130NOK 1,207
-12.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$129NOK 1,205
-33.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Åndalsnes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$1,206NOK 11.2K
-48.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$883NOK 8,233
-49.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$1,852NOK 17.3K
10.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$1,511NOK 14.1K
-1.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$6,152NOK 57.3K
-38.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$4,585NOK 42.7K
-42.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Åndalsnes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.32
23.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Åndalsnes: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $1,206 in Åndalsnes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $46.00 in Åndalsnes. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $492, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.
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 Åndalsnes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Åndalsnes?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 106% lower than in Åndalsnes. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket vs Åndalsnes?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $3,800 in Åndalsnes to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Åndalsnes?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $1,206 in Åndalsnes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Åndalsnes?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $2,533 in Åndalsnes – a 106% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Phuket vs Åndalsnes?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 536% less than in Åndalsnes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Åndalsnes?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,533 in Åndalsnes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Åndalsnes. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Åndalsnes?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Åndalsnes?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Åndalsnes 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 106% less than in Åndalsnes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.