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 $2,385 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $3,610 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $4,835 in Kongsberg, rent included.

Phuket is about 47% cheaper than Kongsberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Kongsberg is 78% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$21.87 NOK 203

-78.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$70.1 NOK 651

-35.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$13.62 NOK 127

-38.11%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$4.90 NOK 45.54

-40.20%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$2.51 NOK 23.32

-72.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$2.15 NOK 19.98

-82.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$9.37 NOK 87.0

-74.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$10.26 NOK 95.3

-63.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$2.18 NOK 20.21

2.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$2.98 NOK 27.69

-38.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$3.25 NOK 30.23

-33.23%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$4.61 NOK 42.82

-52.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$10.44 NOK 97.0

89.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$11.72 NOK 109

-69.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$18.12 NOK 168

-25.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.02 NOK 28.05

8.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.26 NOK 21.04

-28.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.28 NOK 30.46

-26.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$4.13 NOK 38.38

-49.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.19 NOK 20.37

-30.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.24 NOK 20.83

-33.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$2.92 NOK 27.10

-66.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.82 NOK 16.88

-71.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$17.52 NOK 163

-74.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$16.39 NOK 152

18.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$3.19 NOK 29.63

-44.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$3.84 NOK 35.70

-29.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$2.57 NOK 23.91

-46.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$91.2 NOK 848

-87.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$10.09 NOK 93.7

-70.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.45 NOK 13.46

-31.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$30.30 NOK 281

-53.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$2.20 NOK 20.41

-38.18%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$37.2K NOK 346.0K

-24.27%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$40.0K NOK 371.5K

-17.71%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$217 NOK 2,016

-43.91%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$26.89 NOK 250

-49.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$38.57 NOK 358

-52.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$45.30 NOK 421

32.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$53.3 NOK 495

-67.82%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$20.23 NOK 188

-57.04%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$306 NOK 2,847

126.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$3,663 NOK 34.0K

328.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$86.1 NOK 799

-30.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$52.1 NOK 484

-33.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$159 NOK 1,479

-28.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$164 NOK 1,522

-49.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$1,003 NOK 9,314

-38.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$902 NOK 8,378

-51.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,723 NOK 16.0K

21.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,539 NOK 14.3K

-1.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$6,208 NOK 57.7K

-39.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$4,384 NOK 40.7K

-40.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$3,604 NOK 33.5K

-85.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.38

21.69%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kongsberg: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $1,003 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 609% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $70.0 in Kongsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $391 – 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 88%, 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 $3,577 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 $2,385 in Kongsberg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 701% 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 $2,385. 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.