Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Norsup Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Norsup

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,499 in Norsup.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,290 in Norsup.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,080 in Norsup.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 65% less than in Norsup, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Norsup is 156% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$4.15 VUV 482

-54.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$4.17 VUV 483

-64.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$4.10 VUV 476

-62.20%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$5.00 VUV 580

-58.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$12.69 VUV 1,472

54.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$8.29 VUV 962

-58.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$15.38 VUV 1,784

-26.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$4.19 VUV 486

-28.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$4.24 VUV 492

-60.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$4.12 VUV 478

-46.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$4.33 VUV 503

-50.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$4.19 VUV 486

-63.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$4.28 VUV 497

-68.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$4.12 VUV 478

-72.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$4.15 VUV 481

-86.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$16.57 VUV 1,922

-74.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$16.70 VUV 1,936

14.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$4.32 VUV 501

-58.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$4.29 VUV 497

-35.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

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

$102 ฿3,407

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

$11.33 ฿377

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

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

$561 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$2,946 VUV 341.6K

-83.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$294 VUV 34.0K

68.15%

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 Norsup: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 68% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Norsup: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 184% lower than in Norsup. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 68% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Norsup. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $3,499 in Norsup – a 184% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,499 in Norsup, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Norsup. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Norsup 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 184% less than in Norsup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.