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 $3,449 in Norsup.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $2,241 in Norsup.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,033 in Norsup.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 64% less than in Norsup, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Norsup is 158% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$4.28 VUV 507

-47.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$4.28 VUV 507

-57.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$4.31 VUV 511

-48.03%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$5.10 VUV 604

-54.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$12.60 VUV 1,492

56.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$8.25 VUV 978

-55.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$15.04 VUV 1,781

-12.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$4.28 VUV 506

-20.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$4.30 VUV 509

-61.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$4.12 VUV 487

-41.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$4.17 VUV 493

-51.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$4.12 VUV 487

-62.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$4.19 VUV 496

-64.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$4.32 VUV 512

-76.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$2.26 VUV 268

-78.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$16.63 VUV 1,970

-73.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$16.44 VUV 1,947

14.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$4.15 VUV 491

-57.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$4.29 VUV 508

-35.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$125 ฿4,087

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

$13.57 ฿444

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

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

$698 ฿22.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$2,897 VUV 343.1K

-84.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$7,000 VUV 829.1K

-46.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$2,469 VUV 292.5K

7.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$484 VUV 57.3K

8.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Norsup: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 8% 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 180% 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.

Phuket pays 8% more on average, 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 57% 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 $3,449 in Norsup – a 180% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,449 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 180% less than in Norsup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.