Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Narvik Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Narvik

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $2,250 in Narvik.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $3,450 in Narvik.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $4,650 in Narvik.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 46% less than in Narvik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Narvik is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$20.03 NOK 190

-77.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$91.8 NOK 870

-49.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$15.24 NOK 144

-44.29%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$5.44 NOK 51.5

-43.38%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$2.59 NOK 24.54

-73.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$2.47 NOK 23.39

-85.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$11.15 NOK 106

-78.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$11.21 NOK 106

-67.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$2.49 NOK 23.58

-12.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$3.30 NOK 31.22

-45.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$2.52 NOK 23.85

-11.51%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$4.80 NOK 45.50

-53.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$11.31 NOK 107

73.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$14.95 NOK 142

-75.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$21.59 NOK 205

-37.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$3.26 NOK 30.88

3.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$2.07 NOK 19.58

-21.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$3.62 NOK 34.30

-33.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$4.23 NOK 40.10

-52.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$2.50 NOK 23.67

-38.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$3.52 NOK 33.30

-58.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$2.66 NOK 25.22

-62.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.72 NOK 16.25

-72.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$14.92 NOK 141

-71.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$18.88 NOK 179

1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$3.46 NOK 32.74

-46.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$3.62 NOK 34.26

-24.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$5.08 NOK 48.08

-72.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$85.0 NOK 805

-86.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$12.83 NOK 121

-76.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.41 NOK 13.33

-25.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$51.6 NOK 488

-73.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$2.10 NOK 19.90

-38.57%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$30.3K NOK 287.3K

-7.57%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$30.6K NOK 290.0K

9.43%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$248 NOK 2,351

-50.85%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$48.65 NOK 461

-71.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$76.6 NOK 725

-75.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$53.5 NOK 506

14.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$25.12 NOK 238

-32.96%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$16.40 NOK 155

-45.79%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$335 NOK 3,173

106.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$7,152 NOK 67.7K

125.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$88.9 NOK 842

-35.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$32.71 NOK 310

8.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$133 NOK 1,262

-14.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$133 NOK 1,263

-37.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$909 NOK 8,607

-33.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$700 NOK 6,634

-36.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$1,580 NOK 15.0K

28.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$1,185 NOK 11.2K

25.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$5,231 NOK 49.5K

-31.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$4,728 NOK 44.8K

-45.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$3,574 NOK 33.9K

-85.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.27

24.82%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Narvik: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $909 in Narvik. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Narvik pays 608% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $92.0 in Narvik for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $433 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 Narvik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Narvik earns 608% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $909 in Narvik. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $2,250 in Narvik – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 626% less than in Narvik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,223 in Phuket versus $2,250 in Narvik, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Narvik. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Narvik, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Narvik are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Narvik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.