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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $3,407 in Norsup.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $2,216 in Norsup.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,026 in Norsup.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 63% less than in Norsup, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Norsup is 156% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$4.28 VUV 497

-49.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$4.16 VUV 484

-56.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$4.16 VUV 483

-47.60%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$4.91 VUV 571

-54.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$12.39 VUV 1,439

61.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$8.45 VUV 982

-57.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$15.12 VUV 1,756

-10.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$4.32 VUV 502

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$4.19 VUV 486

-60.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$4.31 VUV 501

-45.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$4.29 VUV 499

-51.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$4.24 VUV 493

-63.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$4.11 VUV 478

-64.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$4.32 VUV 501

-77.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$2.17 VUV 252

-77.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$16.93 VUV 1,967

-74.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$16.84 VUV 1,956

10.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$4.27 VUV 496

-56.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$4.24 VUV 493

-37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

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

$123 ฿4,105

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

$13.77 ฿459

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

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

$688 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$2,945 VUV 342.0K

-84.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$289 VUV 33.6K

70.71%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Norsup: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 71% 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 170% 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 71% 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 58% higher in Norsup. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $3,407 in Norsup – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $3,407 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 $1,264 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 170% less than in Norsup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.