Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Drammen Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Drammen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $2,659 in Drammen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $4,071 in Drammen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $5,484 in Drammen, rent included.

Phuket is about 52% cheaper than Drammen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 8% below the global median, while Drammen is 93% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$21.46 NOK 199

-78.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$132 NOK 1,221

-75.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$11.39 NOK 106

-23.79%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$5.36 NOK 49.76

-45.90%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$4.01 NOK 37.21

-79.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$1.98 NOK 18.34

-75.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$11.88 NOK 110

-79.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$6.89 NOK 63.9

-45.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.57 NOK 23.83

-26.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$4.17 NOK 38.71

-66.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$4.58 NOK 42.48

-64.63%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$4.73 NOK 43.91

-52.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$14.05 NOK 130

41.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$15.67 NOK 145

-77.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$30.60 NOK 284

-62.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.47 NOK 32.18

-16.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$2.69 NOK 25.00

-36.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$3.55 NOK 32.96

-36.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$5.89 NOK 54.7

-63.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.66 NOK 24.72

-44.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$2.91 NOK 26.98

-51.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$3.10 NOK 28.72

-64.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$2.47 NOK 22.95

-75.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$16.88 NOK 157

-74.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$16.45 NOK 153

13.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$3.62 NOK 33.61

-50.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$4.33 NOK 40.15

-31.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$3.47 NOK 32.22

-35.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$94.7 NOK 878

-75.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$12.42 NOK 115

-75.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.86 NOK 17.23

-41.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$71.6 NOK 664

-94.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$2.25 NOK 20.87

-36.44%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$46.0K NOK 426.3K

-39.54%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$45.2K NOK 419.1K

-40.27%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$273 NOK 2,534

-61.64%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$33.79 NOK 313

-66.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$54.1 NOK 502

-67.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$81.5 NOK 756

-33.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$18.03 NOK 167

-56.85%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$252 NOK 2,337

128.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$15.9K NOK 147.7K

-27.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$105 NOK 978

-39.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$61.6 NOK 571

-52.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$134 NOK 1,244

-28.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$156 NOK 1,444

-42.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$1,383 NOK 12.8K

-46.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$1,036 NOK 9,607

-51.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$2,121 NOK 19.7K

0.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$1,647 NOK 15.3K

-23.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$10.6K NOK 98.1K

-66.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$6,427 NOK 59.6K

-59.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$3,712 NOK 34.4K

-86.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.54

22.69%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Drammen: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $1,383 in Drammen. 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 631% higher in Drammen, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $132 in Drammen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $510 – 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 Drammen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $2,659 in Drammen – roughly 110% apart. Drammen 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 $3,989 in Drammen. 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 $576 per month in Phuket and $252 in Drammen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 85% more in Drammen, 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 $1,265, than in Drammen at $2,659. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Drammen 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 $2,659 in Drammen. 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, Drammen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.