Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Asker Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Asker

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $2,710 in Asker, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $4,047 in Asker, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $5,383 in Asker, rent included.

Phuket is about 54% cheaper than Asker, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Asker is 103% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$25.03 NOK 241

-81.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$102 NOK 981

-54.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$13.45 NOK 130

-34.28%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$5.06 NOK 48.82

-39.53%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$2.63 NOK 25.36

-72.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$2.20 NOK 21.17

-81.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$10.98 NOK 106

-77.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$9.67 NOK 93.3

-60.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.10 NOK 20.27

7.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$3.28 NOK 31.61

-44.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$3.60 NOK 34.75

-37.50%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$4.29 NOK 41.35

-47.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$11.54 NOK 111

69.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$14.14 NOK 136

-74.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$31.04 NOK 299

-57.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.67 NOK 35.39

-11.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.59 NOK 25.01

-37.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$3.43 NOK 33.03

-30.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$4.47 NOK 43.08

-54.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.46 NOK 23.73

-37.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.49 NOK 24.00

-39.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$2.76 NOK 26.65

-64.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$1.98 NOK 19.05

-73.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$14.00 NOK 135

-68.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$18.05 NOK 174

1.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$3.44 NOK 33.20

-45.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$4.33 NOK 41.76

-38.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$4.36 NOK 42.09

-67.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$78.6 NOK 757

-85.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$10.03 NOK 96.7

-68.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.44 NOK 13.88

-27.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$42.38 NOK 409

-66.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$2.24 NOK 21.58

-41.52%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$36.5K NOK 352.4K

-23.89%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$41.8K NOK 403.1K

-20.55%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$215 NOK 2,074

-43.07%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$31.43 NOK 303

-56.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$37.26 NOK 359

-49.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$50.2 NOK 484

20.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$35.77 NOK 345

-52.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$14.81 NOK 143

-38.76%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$272 NOK 2,623

159.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$14.7K NOK 141.3K

7.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$104 NOK 1,001

-43.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$47.03 NOK 453

-24.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$124 NOK 1,193

-6.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$152 NOK 1,463

-44.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$1,532 NOK 14.8K

-59.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$1,199 NOK 11.6K

-62.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$2,188 NOK 21.1K

-6.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,762 NOK 17.0K

-15.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$9,406 NOK 90.7K

-62.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$3,932 NOK 37.9K

-34.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$3,720 NOK 35.9K

-86.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.38

21.69%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Asker: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $1,532 in Asker. 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 644% higher in Asker, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $102 in Asker. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $463 – 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 Asker: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Asker costs about 117% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $4,065 in Asker. 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.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $272 in Asker. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% more in Asker, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Asker at $2,710. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Asker it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,250 versus $2,710 in Asker. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Asker makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.