Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Norsup

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $3,399 in Norsup, rent and utilities included – about $25,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Norsup outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Norsup

🇻🇺 Vanuatu

$3,399

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Norsup

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Norsup actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $3,399 in Norsup.

Phuket $1,278
Norsup $3,399

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $2,246 in Norsup.

Phuket $2,216
Norsup $2,246

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $1,093 in Norsup.

Phuket $3,154
Norsup $1,093

Living in Phuket costs roughly 62% less than in Norsup, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Norsup is 150% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

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

$0.87 ฿29.42

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.66

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$4.28 VUV 499

-61.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.32

$4.19 VUV 488

-65.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$4.15 VUV 484

-63.86%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$5.13 VUV 598

-59.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$12.54 VUV 1,462

52.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$8.66 VUV 1,009

-61.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$15.04 VUV 1,753

-27.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

$4.33 VUV 505

-32.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$4.20 VUV 490

-59.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$4.20 VUV 490

-46.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$4.27 VUV 498

-51.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$4.33 VUV 505

-65.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$4.29 VUV 500

-67.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.97

$4.14 VUV 482

-74.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

$4.26 VUV 496

-87.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$16.76 VUV 1,953

-74.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$16.84 VUV 1,962

11.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$4.12 VUV 480

-55.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$4.13 VUV 482

-31.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.78

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

$26.8K ฿903.7K

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

$26.7K ฿900.8K

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

$96.4 ฿3,252

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

$11.26 ฿380

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,269

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

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

$476 ฿16.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,105

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,182

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,896

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$2,914 VUV 339.7K

-83.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$298 VUV 34.8K

68.30%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Norsup: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Norsup

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Norsup

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Norsup

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Norsup

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Norsup

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Norsup

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Norsup

–

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.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇻🇺 Norsup

🕒 Local time

18:27 6:27 PM

22:27 10:27 PM

4 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

1,200

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Vanuatu Vatu VUV Vt

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 VUV = 8.58 USD

1,000 VUV = 7.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VUV, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Vanuatu Vatu exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 117 VUV (1,000 VUV = 8.58 USD). 1 EUR = 130 VUV (1,000 VUV = 7.69 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Norsup 8,050 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Norsup

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 62% 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 82% higher in Norsup. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $3,399 in Norsup – Phuket is about 62% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $1,278 in Phuket versus $3,399 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 cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Norsup are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.