Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $3,218 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $4,688 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $6,159 in Stavanger.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 61% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Stavanger is 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$25.87 NOK 242

-82.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$96.6 NOK 902

-63.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$15.77 NOK 147

-43.18%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$6.34 NOK 59.2

-52.68%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$5.42 NOK 50.6

-85.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$4.47 NOK 41.76

-89.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$13.85 NOK 129

-82.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$12.25 NOK 114

-69.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$2.36 NOK 22.03

-22.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$3.64 NOK 33.96

-60.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$3.92 NOK 36.60

-60.46%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$4.95 NOK 46.20

-56.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$14.89 NOK 139

32.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$16.94 NOK 158

-79.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$36.00 NOK 336

-69.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$3.60 NOK 33.65

-19.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$2.79 NOK 26.06

-40.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$3.57 NOK 33.32

-36.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$4.84 NOK 45.23

-56.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$2.54 NOK 23.75

-42.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$3.18 NOK 29.74

-55.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$2.86 NOK 26.68

-61.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$2.38 NOK 22.19

-77.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$17.32 NOK 162

-74.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$18.61 NOK 174

0.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$3.92 NOK 36.60

-53.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$4.64 NOK 43.31

-36.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$4.85 NOK 45.32

-53.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

$81.3 NOK 759

-71.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$6.44 NOK 60.1

-52.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$1.72 NOK 16.08

-36.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$104 NOK 974

-96.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$2.27 NOK 21.23

-34.36%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$49.3K NOK 460.3K

-44.33%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$42.5K NOK 397.3K

-35.33%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$254 NOK 2,375

-59.97%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$35.83 NOK 335

-68.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$83.3 NOK 778

-78.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$52.1 NOK 486

3.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

$37.77 NOK 353

-70.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$22.24 NOK 208

-64.70%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$326 NOK 3,043

77.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$14.3K NOK 133.5K

-18.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$126 NOK 1,181

-48.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$59.6 NOK 557

-51.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$156 NOK 1,457

-36.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$207 NOK 1,936

-56.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$1,732 NOK 16.2K

-56.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$1,379 NOK 12.9K

-64.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$2,747 NOK 25.7K

-24.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$2,094 NOK 19.6K

-42.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

$6,334 NOK 59.2K

-43.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

$5,318 NOK 49.7K

-50.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$5,107 NOK 47.7K

-90.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.27

5.69%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Phuket and $1,732 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 917% 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: $35.00 in Phuket vs $97.0 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $526 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 Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 155% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 917% lower in Stavanger. 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: $756 in Phuket versus $1,732 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $577 in Phuket versus $326 in Stavanger. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Stavanger. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $3,218 in Stavanger, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Stavanger. 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 Stavanger, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Stavanger 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 155% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.