🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,359 in Holmestrand.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $3,585 in Holmestrand.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $4,811 in Holmestrand.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 46% less than in Holmestrand, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Holmestrand is 76% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿150
$18.88NOK 176
-75.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44฿1,496
$101NOK 943
-54.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿280
$13.22NOK 123
-34.34%
Cappuccino
$2.95฿95.0
$5.02NOK 46.68
-41.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70฿22.52
$1.98NOK 18.38
-64.65%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿12.70
$2.05NOK 19.02
-80.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿81.6
$9.17NOK 85.3
-72.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿122
$9.77NOK 90.9
-61.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.22฿71.5
$1.66NOK 15.43
33.73%
White Bread(500g)
$1.80฿57.8
$3.32NOK 30.87
-45.78%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.19฿70.4
$2.05NOK 19.09
6.83%
Eggs
$2.31฿74.5
$3.94NOK 36.68
-41.37%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.34฿623
$11.16NOK 104
73.30%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.77฿121
$14.18NOK 132
-73.41%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.22฿426
$41.11NOK 382
-67.84%
Apples(1kg)
$3.33฿107
$2.08NOK 19.30
60.10%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65฿53.1
$2.32NOK 21.57
-28.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29฿73.7
$3.26NOK 30.33
-29.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿64.1
$2.49NOK 23.16
-20.08%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.24
$0.79NOK 7.39
93.67%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51฿48.77
$1.34NOK 12.43
12.69%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.12
$2.86NOK 26.60
-63.99%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.57
$1.85NOK 17.21
-72.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿142
$14.02NOK 130
-68.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.41฿625
$18.81NOK 175
3.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿58.0
$3.00NOK 27.92
-40.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿86.4
$4.02NOK 37.36
-33.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.43฿46.11
$4.35NOK 40.42
-67.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿377
$73.0NOK 679
-83.98%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04฿97.9
$8.66NOK 80.5
-64.90%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.37
$0.97NOK 8.99
7.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.68฿441
$102NOK 949
-86.59%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30฿41.85
$2.13NOK 19.78
-38.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K฿898.9K
$38.2KNOK 355.0K
-26.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K฿1.1M
$34.2KNOK 317.8K
-3.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿3,962
$219NOK 2,032
-43.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82฿445
$42.93NOK 399
-67.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86฿608
$38.27NOK 356
-50.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.2฿1,970
$48.71NOK 453
25.54%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81฿541
$36.08NOK 336
-53.41%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿286
$14.94NOK 139
-40.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$696฿22.4K
$303NOK 2,814
130.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1K฿517.4K
$10.1KNOK 94.1K
58.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,910
$112NOK 1,038
-46.88%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85฿1,123
$30.85NOK 287
12.97%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,646
$99.9NOK 929
13.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1฿2,740
$129NOK 1,200
-34.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$615฿19.8K
$1,206NOK 11.2K
-48.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.4K
$878NOK 8,168
-48.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,085฿67.2K
$1,800NOK 16.7K
15.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿48.2K
$1,543NOK 14.4K
-3.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,734฿120.3K
$6,023NOK 56.0K
-37.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,662฿85.8K
$4,461NOK 41.5K
-40.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$534฿17.2K
$3,733NOK 34.7K
-85.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
2
166.50%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Last update for Holmestrand: April 21, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $1,206 in Holmestrand. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Holmestrand pays 600% 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 in Phuket vs $101 in Holmestrand for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $451 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 Holmestrand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Holmestrand?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Holmestrand. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or Holmestrand?
On paper, Holmestrand earns 600% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Holmestrand?
Rent for a central apartment: $615 in Phuket versus $1,206 in Holmestrand. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and Holmestrand?
Childcare runs $696 in Phuket versus $303 in Holmestrand. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or Holmestrand?
Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Holmestrand. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Holmestrand?
At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,359 in Holmestrand, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Holmestrand. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Holmestrand?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,270 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Holmestrand?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Holmestrand are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Holmestrand. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.