Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Haugesund Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Haugesund

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $2,494 in Haugesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $3,746 in Haugesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $4,997 in Haugesund, rent included.

Phuket is about 49% cheaper than Haugesund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Haugesund is 86% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$21.22 NOK 201

-78.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$100 NOK 949

-53.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$13.77 NOK 131

-38.49%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$4.59 NOK 43.60

-33.99%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$3.08 NOK 29.27

-77.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$2.89 NOK 27.42

-87.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$10.73 NOK 102

-76.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$9.41 NOK 89.3

-61.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$2.12 NOK 20.10

2.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$3.39 NOK 32.22

-43.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$2.78 NOK 26.35

-20.86%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$4.48 NOK 42.52

-50.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$11.18 NOK 106

78.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$14.81 NOK 141

-75.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$27.94 NOK 265

-52.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.08 NOK 29.19

4.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.17 NOK 20.61

-21.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$3.57 NOK 33.91

-33.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$4.04 NOK 38.34

-48.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.59 NOK 24.61

-38.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.84 NOK 27.00

-47.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$2.86 NOK 27.15

-63.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$2.07 NOK 19.64

-74.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$16.25 NOK 154

-73.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$14.54 NOK 138

29.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$3.38 NOK 32.04

-47.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$4.22 NOK 40.07

-34.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$3.49 NOK 33.14

-61.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$66.6 NOK 632

-82.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$14.39 NOK 137

-78.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.59 NOK 15.11

-34.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$54.6 NOK 519

-74.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$2.20 NOK 20.87

-39.09%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$34.9K NOK 331.3K

-20.70%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$39.7K NOK 377.0K

-14.74%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$238 NOK 2,260

-48.08%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$38.82 NOK 369

-65.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$55.7 NOK 529

-66.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$45.29 NOK 430

36.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$36.08 NOK 342

-52.19%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$16.78 NOK 159

-45.53%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$285 NOK 2,708

146.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$2,856 NOK 27.1K

455.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$81.4 NOK 773

-26.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$56.4 NOK 535

-37.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$94.5 NOK 897

21.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$147 NOK 1,393

-42.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$1,611 NOK 15.3K

-61.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$1,039 NOK 9,860

-58.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$2,082 NOK 19.8K

-0.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$1,511 NOK 14.3K

0.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$4,380 NOK 41.6K

-16.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$4,780 NOK 45.4K

-45.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$3,637 NOK 34.5K

-86.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

3.98

33.92%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Haugesund: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $1,611 in Haugesund. 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 617% higher in Haugesund, 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $100 in Haugesund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $443 – 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 Haugesund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haugesund costs about 98% 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $3,740 in Haugesund. 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.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Haugesund, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $100 in Haugesund. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Haugesund at $2,494. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Haugesund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,261 versus $2,494 in Haugesund. 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, Haugesund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.