🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,297 in Holmestrand.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $3,561 in Holmestrand.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $4,826 in Holmestrand.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 45% less than in Holmestrand, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Holmestrand is 71% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$19.11NOK 181
-76.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$99.4NOK 943
-53.07%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$13.51NOK 128
-37.31%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$4.90NOK 46.47
-38.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$2.06NOK 19.52
-66.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$2.07NOK 19.69
-82.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$9.18NOK 87.1
-72.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$9.51NOK 90.3
-61.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.59NOK 15.11
37.11%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$3.27NOK 30.99
-41.90%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$2.06NOK 19.60
6.80%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$4.01NOK 38.07
-44.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$10.84NOK 103
84.41%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$13.95NOK 132
-73.76%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$40.21NOK 382
-67.05%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$1.98NOK 18.77
63.13%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$2.33NOK 22.15
-27.04%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$3.32NOK 31.51
-28.01%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$2.36NOK 22.41
-11.86%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$0.77NOK 7.33
106.49%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$1.29NOK 12.22
14.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$3.01NOK 28.55
-65.78%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$1.83NOK 17.33
-71.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$14.13NOK 134
-69.92%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$18.61NOK 177
0.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$3.01NOK 28.60
-41.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$3.92NOK 37.21
-29.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$4.13NOK 39.19
-67.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
$73.0NOK 692
-84.43%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$8.90NOK 84.4
-64.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$0.95NOK 9.01
9.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$102NOK 970
-86.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$2.12NOK 20.12
-36.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$38.3KNOK 363.7K
-27.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$34.4KNOK 326.1K
-1.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$216NOK 2,052
-42.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$44.01NOK 418
-69.28%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$37.22NOK 353
-49.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$48.95NOK 465
26.29%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
$34.80NOK 330
-50.43%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$14.91NOK 142
-38.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$310NOK 2,941
126.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$10.3KNOK 97.3K
54.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$110NOK 1,040
-45.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$29.87NOK 284
17.41%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$98.2NOK 932
17.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$133NOK 1,264
-36.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$1,213NOK 11.5K
-49.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$906NOK 8,597
-52.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$1,846NOK 17.5K
11.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$1,527NOK 14.5K
-1.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
$6,481NOK 61.5K
-43.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
$3,913NOK 37.1K
-32.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Holmestrand
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Holmestrand: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $1,213 in Holmestrand. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $99.0 in Holmestrand for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $444 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 82% 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 vs Holmestrand?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $3,445 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 vs Holmestrand?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $1,213 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 $703 in Phuket versus $310 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 52% 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 $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,297 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 $1,261 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 82% less than in Holmestrand. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.