Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Askim Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Askim

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,569 in Askim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $3,970 in Askim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $5,371 in Askim.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 51% less than in Askim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Askim is 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$25.08 NOK 241

-82.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$123 NOK 1,181

-62.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$14.96 NOK 143

-41.44%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$4.86 NOK 46.61

-38.89%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$4.03 NOK 38.62

-82.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$3.28 NOK 31.50

-88.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$12.02 NOK 115

-78.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$11.32 NOK 109

-66.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$2.39 NOK 22.90

-10.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$4.13 NOK 39.66

-55.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$3.50 NOK 33.59

-37.71%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$5.11 NOK 49.02

-55.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$13.52 NOK 130

47.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$16.41 NOK 157

-77.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$30.90 NOK 296

-56.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$3.47 NOK 33.25

-6.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$2.61 NOK 25.01

-37.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$3.43 NOK 32.92

-32.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$5.11 NOK 49.03

-59.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.43 NOK 23.35

-36.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$2.60 NOK 24.93

-43.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$2.85 NOK 27.30

-65.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$2.43 NOK 23.29

-80.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$17.04 NOK 163

-74.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

$18.36 NOK 176

1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$3.34 NOK 32.09

-44.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$4.28 NOK 41.03

-38.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

$4.26 NOK 40.90

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

$72.5 NOK 695

-84.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$10.20 NOK 97.9

-68.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$1.43 NOK 13.76

-27.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

$42.04 NOK 403

-66.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$2.17 NOK 20.81

-38.25%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

$35.6K NOK 341.5K

-21.95%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$36.0K NOK 345.6K

-7.34%

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

$123 ฿4,116

$300 NOK 2,881

-59.03%

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

$13.77 ฿461

$30.86 NOK 296

-55.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$56.5 NOK 542

-67.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

$48.58 NOK 466

24.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

$35.74 NOK 343

-51.99%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$15.38 NOK 148

-42.33%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$275 NOK 2,633

150.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

$14.7K NOK 140.8K

7.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$105 NOK 1,010

-43.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$65.1 NOK 624

-46.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$123 NOK 1,179

-6.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$166 NOK 1,595

-49.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$1,222 NOK 11.7K

-49.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$902 NOK 8,655

-50.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

$1,798 NOK 17.3K

13.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$1,544 NOK 14.8K

-3.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

$5,941 NOK 57.0K

-41.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

$3,934 NOK 37.7K

-35.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$4,068 NOK 39.0K

-87.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.08

4.92%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Askim: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $1,222 in Askim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 724% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $123 in Askim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $502 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

Phuket vs Askim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Askim differ by about 103% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $2,569 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 724% lower in Askim. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $1,222 in Askim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $123 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $2,569 in Askim – a 103% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,569 in Askim, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Askim. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Askim are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.