🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,359 in Holmestrand.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $3,603 in Holmestrand.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $4,846 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 77% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$19.56NOK 188
-77.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,525
$100NOK 959
-54.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿293
$13.39NOK 128
-34.58%
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.3
$4.85NOK 46.48
-38.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.96
$1.97NOK 18.90
-64.97%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.07
$1.98NOK 18.95
-80.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.7
$9.17NOK 88.0
-72.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
$9.41NOK 90.2
-60.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.8
$1.65NOK 15.86
30.30%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.7
$3.29NOK 31.59
-44.68%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿73.1
$1.96NOK 18.82
11.22%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.2
$4.17NOK 39.96
-46.04%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿669
$11.15NOK 107
79.37%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$14.10NOK 135
-74.26%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿453
$40.17NOK 385
-66.24%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿109
$1.99NOK 19.09
62.81%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.7
$2.34NOK 22.42
-29.91%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿78.0
$3.17NOK 30.38
-26.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.3
$2.37NOK 22.70
-12.66%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$0.80NOK 7.63
93.75%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.67
$1.35NOK 12.97
8.15%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.94
$2.84NOK 27.27
-65.49%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.13
$1.92NOK 18.43
-75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿146
$13.92NOK 134
-68.75%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿621
$17.98NOK 172
3.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.1
$3.00NOK 28.80
-38.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.8
$4.03NOK 38.63
-34.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.40
$4.21NOK 40.39
-66.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿387
$74.7NOK 716
-84.50%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$9.04NOK 86.7
-64.93%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.51
$0.94NOK 9.02
9.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿465
$99.3NOK 952
-86.01%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.96
$2.12NOK 20.30
-36.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿929.6K
$38.3KNOK 367.3K
-27.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$33.5KNOK 321.7K
-0.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,116
$219NOK 2,104
-43.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿461
$43.10NOK 413
-68.05%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿613
$38.56NOK 370
-52.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,030
$48.42NOK 464
25.34%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿574
$35.31NOK 339
-51.40%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿297
$15.14NOK 145
-41.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿23.0K
$302NOK 2,899
127.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿527.8K
$10.1KNOK 97.3K
55.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,984
$110NOK 1,051
-45.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,160
$30.04NOK 288
15.48%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,853
$98.6NOK 946
16.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,802
$133NOK 1,280
-37.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.8K
$1,217NOK 11.7K
-48.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$899NOK 8,625
-50.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿68.0K
$1,795NOK 17.2K
13.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿50.0K
$1,556NOK 14.9K
-3.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.6K
$5,686NOK 54.5K
-39.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.7K
$3,422NOK 32.8K
-26.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
-
-
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: July 27, 2026
Last update for Holmestrand: July 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $1,217 in Holmestrand. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $100 in Holmestrand for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $445 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 87% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Holmestrand?
You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $3,538 in Holmestrand to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Holmestrand?
Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $1,217 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 in Holmestrand?
Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $302 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 in Holmestrand?
Supermarket bills run roughly 53% 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 in Holmestrand?
At $1,264 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 $1,264 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 87% less than in Holmestrand. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.