Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Noord Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Noord

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,831 in Noord, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $3,105 in Noord, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $4,378 in Noord, rent included.

Phuket is about 33% cheaper than Noord, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Noord is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$23.38 AWG 41.84

-81.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$87.0 AWG 156

-62.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.94 AWG 5.25

-70.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.96 AWG 3.51

-75.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$8.69 AWG 15.56

-72.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$9.26 AWG 16.56

-59.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.91 AWG 3.43

-2.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.98 AWG 5.34

-50.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.84 AWG 5.08

-45.42%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$6.32 AWG 11.30

-66.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$12.43 AWG 22.24

57.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$9.36 AWG 16.76

-63.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$12.03 AWG 21.53

-5.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$4.76 AWG 8.51

-37.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.31 AWG 4.13

-27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$5.05 AWG 9.03

-56.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$3.56 AWG 6.37

-39.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$2.25 AWG 4.03

-32.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.02 AWG 3.62

-33.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.63 AWG 4.71

-57.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.56 AWG 2.80

-64.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$10.11 AWG 18.08

-57.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$10.19 AWG 18.23

87.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$5.82 AWG 10.42

-69.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$4.35 AWG 7.79

-36.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$2.73 AWG 4.89

-45.42%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

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

$102 ฿3,420

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

$11.33 ฿378

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,490 AWG 2,667

-50.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$1,192 AWG 2,134

-59.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$2,848 AWG 5,096

-26.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$2,508 AWG 4,488

-51.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Noord: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $1,490 in Noord. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $87.0 in Noord. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $380 – 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 Noord: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Noord costs about 49% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $2,747 in Noord. 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $1,831 in Noord. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Noord, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Noord at $1,831. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Noord it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $1,831 in Noord. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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