Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Drammen

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,736 in Drammen, rent and utilities included – about $17,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Drammen, Norway
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Drammen
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,736
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Drammen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Drammen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $2,736 in Drammen, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Drammen $2,736

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $4,119 in Drammen, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Drammen $4,119

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $5,503 in Drammen, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Drammen $5,503

Phuket is about 53% cheaper than Drammen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Drammen is 101% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Drammen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$21.43 NOK 199
-79.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$126 NOK 1,175
-74.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$11.08 NOK 103
-20.49%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$5.34 NOK 49.58
-47.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
$4.10 NOK 38.12
-78.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$2.04 NOK 19.00
-75.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$11.76 NOK 109
-78.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$6.96 NOK 64.7
-47.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Drammen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$2.63 NOK 24.41
-36.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$4.37 NOK 40.63
-66.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$4.90 NOK 45.48
-69.39%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$4.85 NOK 45.04
-56.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$14.17 NOK 132
34.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$15.76 NOK 146
-79.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$31.63 NOK 294
-65.51%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$3.37 NOK 31.33
-13.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$2.79 NOK 25.89
-39.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$3.58 NOK 33.28
-37.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$5.85 NOK 54.4
-64.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$2.74 NOK 25.50
-44.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
$2.95 NOK 27.38
-53.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$3.11 NOK 28.94
-65.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$2.52 NOK 23.40
-79.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$17.36 NOK 161
-75.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$16.22 NOK 151
15.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$3.63 NOK 33.74
-49.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$4.35 NOK 40.44
-34.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Drammen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
$3.48 NOK 32.33
-58.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
$97.1 NOK 902
-41.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$12.27 NOK 114
-75.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
$1.91 NOK 17.73
-46.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$72.4 NOK 673
-94.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
$2.34 NOK 21.73
-37.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$46.7K NOK 434.2K
-42.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$45.3K NOK 420.4K
-41.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Drammen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$273 NOK 2,532
-64.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$34.51 NOK 321
-67.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$54.6 NOK 507
-69.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Drammen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
$82.2 NOK 763
-18.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$18.13 NOK 168
-58.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Drammen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$241 NOK 2,238
97.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$16.2K NOK 150.5K
-30.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Drammen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
$101 NOK 940
-38.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$62.3 NOK 578
-54.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$135 NOK 1,254
-30.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$153 NOK 1,419
-43.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Drammen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$1,363 NOK 12.7K
-47.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$1,036 NOK 9,620
-52.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
$2,106 NOK 19.6K
-8.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$1,591 NOK 14.8K
-10.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
$10.8K NOK 100.5K
-61.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$6,542 NOK 60.8K
-53.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Drammen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$3,742 NOK 34.8K
-86.58%
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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Drammen: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Drammen
$1K 111% $545
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Drammen
$518 94.7% $252
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Drammen
$362 191% $237
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Drammen
$203 66.5% $81
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Drammen
$366 201% $244
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Drammen
$118 44% $36
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Drammen
$133 88.1% $62

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $1,363 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 in Drammen are about 7.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $126 in Drammen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $518 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇳🇴 Drammen
🕒 Local time
00:38 12:38 AM
18:38 6:38 PM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
104,625
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.29 NOK (1 NOK = 0.108 USD). 1 EUR = 10.34 NOK (100 NOK = 9.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Drammen 9,150 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Drammen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How do living costs in Phuket and in Drammen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,278 in Phuket, $2,736 in Drammen – roughly 114% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Drammen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $4,104 in Drammen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Drammen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $1,363 in Drammen.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Drammen?
Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $241 in Drammen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 95% more in Drammen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Drammen at $2,736. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Drammen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Drammen?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Phuket to $2,736 in Drammen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Drammen safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Phuket and Drammen?
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.

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