Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and LarvikCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Larvik
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,220 in Larvik.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,399 in Larvik.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $4,578 in Larvik.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 43% less than in Larvik, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Larvik is 66% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Larvik
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$29.15NOK 276
-83.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,489
$101NOK 956
-55.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿277
$13.30NOK 126
-36.62%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿96.1
$4.82NOK 45.56
-39.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.50
$2.43NOK 22.98
-71.60%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$2.16NOK 20.40
-82.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿79.0
$9.37NOK 88.6
-74.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$9.68NOK 91.5
-61.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Larvik
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.3
$2.18NOK 20.58
2.29%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿60.1
$3.30NOK 31.17
-44.55%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿71.1
$1.49NOK 14.06
45.64%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.6
$3.67NOK 34.67
-39.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿648
$11.20NOK 106
76.25%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$14.15NOK 134
-74.35%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿444
$29.94NOK 283
-54.81%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿108
$3.12NOK 29.53
5.13%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.9
$2.31NOK 21.81
-30.30%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$2.55NOK 24.08
-5.49%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$4.20NOK 39.73
-50.48%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿50.2
$2.21NOK 20.94
-30.77%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.58
$2.22NOK 21.02
-33.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.44
$2.59NOK 24.45
-61.78%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.74
$1.53NOK 14.49
-66.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿145
$14.00NOK 132
-68.50%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿636
$18.26NOK 173
6.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.4
$3.21NOK 30.33
-44.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿89.0
$3.90NOK 36.91
-30.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Larvik
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.99
$4.30NOK 40.69
-68.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿374
$61.3NOK 580
-81.42%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿99.1
$9.24NOK 87.3
-67.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.63
$1.35NOK 12.72
-26.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿463
$99.4NOK 939
-85.81%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.71
$2.16NOK 20.44
-37.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿925.3K
$41.2KNOK 389.9K
-31.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$50.4KNOK 476.7K
-34.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Larvik
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,993
$216NOK 2,041
-43.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿445
$19.87NOK 188
-31.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿601
$37.58NOK 355
-51.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Larvik
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,976
$50.2NOK 475
19.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿562
$41.21NOK 390
-58.41%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿285
$15.11NOK 143
-42.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Larvik
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.8K
$149NOK 1,409
365.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿514.7K
$10.1KNOK 95.6K
55.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Larvik
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,953
$69.7NOK 659
-14.59%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,141
$46.36NOK 438
-25.00%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,760
$101NOK 957
13.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,733
$122NOK 1,158
-31.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Larvik
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.1K
$1,221NOK 11.5K
-49.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$814NOK 7,695
-46.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.7K
$1,376NOK 13.0K
52.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.5K
$1,125NOK 10.6K
34.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿123.0K
$5,915NOK 55.9K
-36.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.8K
$4,422NOK 41.8K
-40.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Larvik
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.7K
$3,386NOK 32.0K
-84.99%
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 Larvik: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,221 in Larvik. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Larvik pays 566% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $101 in Larvik for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $430 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 Larvik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Larvik?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 75% lower than in Larvik. 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 Larvik?
On paper, Larvik earns 566% 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 Larvik?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,221 in Larvik. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Phuket vs Larvik?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 438% less than in Larvik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and Larvik?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $149 in Larvik. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Larvik?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,220 in Larvik, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Larvik. 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 Larvik?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 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 Larvik?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Larvik 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 75% less than in Larvik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.