Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kongsberg Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kongsberg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $2,698 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $3,972 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $5,245 in Kongsberg, rent included.

Phuket is about 53% cheaper than Kongsberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 8% below the global median, while Kongsberg is 96% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$21.62 NOK 201

-78.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$74.6 NOK 692

-56.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$16.30 NOK 151

-46.75%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$5.13 NOK 47.59

-43.47%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$4.24 NOK 39.31

-80.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$3.56 NOK 33.04

-86.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$11.74 NOK 109

-78.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$10.64 NOK 98.7

-64.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.55 NOK 23.61

-25.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$3.19 NOK 29.60

-55.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$4.52 NOK 41.95

-64.16%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$4.93 NOK 45.76

-54.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$11.07 NOK 103

79.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$12.49 NOK 116

-72.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$18.83 NOK 175

-39.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.31 NOK 30.71

-12.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$2.68 NOK 24.85

-35.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$3.46 NOK 32.07

-34.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$5.03 NOK 46.65

-57.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.65 NOK 24.55

-44.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$2.63 NOK 24.38

-46.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$3.20 NOK 29.66

-65.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$2.50 NOK 23.20

-76.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$18.66 NOK 173

-76.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$16.21 NOK 150

14.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$3.68 NOK 34.10

-51.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$4.08 NOK 37.86

-27.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$3.16 NOK 29.28

-28.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$95.3 NOK 884

-75.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$12.19 NOK 113

-74.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.93 NOK 17.89

-44.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$32.43 NOK 301

-88.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$2.37 NOK 21.99

-39.66%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$49.9K NOK 463.3K

-44.37%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$46.0K NOK 427.2K

-41.40%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$328 NOK 3,041

-68.03%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$29.06 NOK 270

-60.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$57.7 NOK 535

-69.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$47.80 NOK 443

13.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$58.2 NOK 539

-80.33%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$19.15 NOK 178

-59.37%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$254 NOK 2,355

127.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$3,929 NOK 36.4K

194.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$92.3 NOK 856

-31.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$56.1 NOK 520

-48.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$138 NOK 1,280

-30.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$163 NOK 1,509

-44.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$1,112 NOK 10.3K

-34.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$1,068 NOK 9,905

-53.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,993 NOK 18.5K

6.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$1,710 NOK 15.9K

-26.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$6,249 NOK 58.0K

-43.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$4,287 NOK 39.8K

-38.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$3,726 NOK 34.6K

-86.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.96

12.30%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kongsberg: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $1,112 in Kongsberg. 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 634% higher in Kongsberg, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $75.0 in Kongsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $434 – 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 Kongsberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kongsberg is pricier by about 113%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $4,048 in Kongsberg. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $2,698 in Kongsberg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 306% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Kongsberg at $2,698. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kongsberg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Kongsberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.