🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,011 in Steinkjer.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $3,053 in Steinkjer.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $4,095 in Steinkjer.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 38% less than in Steinkjer, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Steinkjer is 51% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$22.75NOK 219
-80.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,554
$55.3NOK 533
-16.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿298
$13.35NOK 129
-33.78%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$4.44NOK 42.78
-31.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.42
$3.68NOK 35.51
-80.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.40
$2.95NOK 28.42
-86.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$10.31NOK 99.4
-76.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$6.15NOK 59.3
-38.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.99NOK 19.23
13.57%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$3.65NOK 35.24
-50.41%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$3.03NOK 29.19
-25.74%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.6
$4.49NOK 43.33
-49.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$10.31NOK 99.5
89.23%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$14.95NOK 144
-75.59%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$28.55NOK 275
-54.29%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$3.76NOK 36.24
-14.10%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$2.26NOK 21.80
-28.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.2
$2.63NOK 25.34
-9.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.2
$5.08NOK 49.02
-60.04%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$1.99NOK 19.15
-23.12%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$2.01NOK 19.35
-25.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.93
$2.60NOK 25.12
-62.31%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.40
$2.40NOK 23.17
-78.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$14.01NOK 135
-68.31%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$18.06NOK 174
1.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$3.59NOK 34.64
-48.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.2
$4.60NOK 44.38
-41.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.49
$3.93NOK 37.88
-64.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿394
$74.7NOK 720
-84.33%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$15.06NOK 145
-79.35%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.08
$2.20NOK 21.19
-52.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿475
$87.7NOK 845
-83.91%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.13
$2.04NOK 19.68
-35.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿936.0K
$31.4KNOK 303.2K
-11.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$42.5KNOK 410.2K
-21.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,120
$150NOK 1,447
-18.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$42.93NOK 414
-68.34%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$50.6NOK 488
-63.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,035
$30.69NOK 296
97.10%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿572
$35.73NOK 345
-52.48%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$15.06NOK 145
-39.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$330NOK 3,185
113.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.8K
$8,521NOK 82.2K
85.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,970
$50.4NOK 486
16.24%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,190
$30.83NOK 297
14.69%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,885
$60.3NOK 581
91.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,818
$132NOK 1,273
-36.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.1K
$1,011NOK 9,749
-38.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$657NOK 6,337
-32.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.7K
$1,530NOK 14.8K
33.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$1,026NOK 9,892
45.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.2K
$6,066NOK 58.5K
-42.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
$3,692NOK 35.6K
-30.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
1.5
255.33%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Last update for Steinkjer: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $1,011 in Steinkjer. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $55.0 in Steinkjer for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $459 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 Steinkjer: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Steinkjer cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $3,017 in Steinkjer to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Steinkjer?
Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $1,011 in Steinkjer. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $330 in Steinkjer. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Steinkjer?
Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Steinkjer. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Steinkjer?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,011 in Steinkjer, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Steinkjer. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Steinkjer more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Steinkjer, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Steinkjer?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Steinkjer are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Steinkjer. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.