Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sandnes Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sandnes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,766 in Sandnes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $4,267 in Sandnes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $5,769 in Sandnes.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 55% less than in Sandnes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Sandnes is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$25.62 NOK 241

-82.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$100 NOK 946

-67.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$15.76 NOK 148

-43.34%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$5.79 NOK 54.5

-49.91%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$3.41 NOK 32.13

-74.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$2.96 NOK 27.92

-83.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$14.03 NOK 132

-83.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$12.26 NOK 116

-69.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.40 NOK 22.60

-22.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$3.52 NOK 33.17

-58.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.55 NOK 24.06

-39.22%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$4.86 NOK 45.78

-56.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$13.36 NOK 126

46.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$15.96 NOK 150

-78.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$32.10 NOK 302

-64.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.64 NOK 34.25

-18.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.76 NOK 26.04

-39.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.24 NOK 30.48

-31.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$5.04 NOK 47.54

-57.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$2.54 NOK 23.95

-40.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.38 NOK 22.45

-43.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.92 NOK 27.51

-61.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$2.39 NOK 22.49

-76.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$16.65 NOK 157

-74.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$17.02 NOK 160

12.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$3.28 NOK 30.88

-45.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$4.32 NOK 40.67

-35.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$4.72 NOK 44.45

-52.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$86.7 NOK 817

-73.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$6.39 NOK 60.2

-52.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.81 NOK 17.03

-43.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$49.65 NOK 468

-92.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$2.28 NOK 21.46

-34.65%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$44.3K NOK 417.0K

-39.93%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$39.6K NOK 373.5K

-31.82%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$252 NOK 2,372

-59.30%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$35.79 NOK 337

-68.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$84.3 NOK 795

-79.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$46.88 NOK 442

11.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$53.1 NOK 500

-79.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$19.26 NOK 182

-60.07%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$297 NOK 2,798

88.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$9,766 NOK 92.0K

17.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$127 NOK 1,192

-50.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$62.1 NOK 585

-52.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$122 NOK 1,154

-19.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$194 NOK 1,826

-54.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,375 NOK 13.0K

-46.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$995 NOK 9,373

-51.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$2,011 NOK 19.0K

4.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$1,841 NOK 17.3K

-33.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$6,992 NOK 65.9K

-48.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$4,075 NOK 38.4K

-36.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$3,787 NOK 35.7K

-86.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.22

6.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Sandnes: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $1,375 in Sandnes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandnes pays 667% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $100 in Sandnes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $490 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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 Sandnes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 125% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 667% lower in Sandnes. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $1,375 in Sandnes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $297 in Sandnes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Sandnes. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,766 in Sandnes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Sandnes. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sandnes, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Sandnes 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 125% less than in Sandnes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.