🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,040 in Steinkjer.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,013 in Steinkjer.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,985 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 52% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$22.84NOK 212
-79.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$54.9NOK 510
-17.30%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$13.05NOK 121
-35.40%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$4.64NOK 43.10
-36.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$3.64NOK 33.80
-81.04%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$2.87NOK 26.70
-87.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$10.01NOK 93.0
-75.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$6.13NOK 56.9
-39.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.96NOK 18.24
13.78%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$3.63NOK 33.73
-49.59%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$3.07NOK 28.52
-29.32%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$4.64NOK 43.13
-52.37%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$10.14NOK 94.2
94.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$15.08NOK 140
-75.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$28.06NOK 261
-51.78%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$3.93NOK 36.53
-16.54%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$2.25NOK 20.88
-28.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$2.57NOK 23.92
-6.23%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$5.08NOK 47.16
-59.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$2.03NOK 18.90
-24.63%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$2.06NOK 19.18
-28.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$2.51NOK 23.35
-60.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$2.40NOK 22.25
-78.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$14.41NOK 134
-69.40%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$18.92NOK 176
2.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$3.52NOK 32.66
-49.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$4.81NOK 44.68
-43.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$4.01NOK 37.21
-65.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$74.3NOK 691
-84.68%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$14.99NOK 139
-79.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$2.23NOK 20.73
-55.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$89.5NOK 831
-84.24%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$1.98NOK 18.35
-31.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$31.8KNOK 295.3K
-11.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$42.7KNOK 396.6K
-22.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$150NOK 1,397
-19.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$42.78NOK 397
-68.28%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$50.6NOK 470
-63.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$30.84NOK 286
95.27%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$36.02NOK 335
-52.42%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$15.26NOK 142
-43.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$329NOK 3,060
110.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$8,468NOK 78.7K
85.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$50.9NOK 473
16.98%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$29.97NOK 278
16.02%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$61.0NOK 567
87.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$129NOK 1,198
-35.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$1,022NOK 9,499
-40.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$648NOK 6,020
-32.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$1,530NOK 14.2K
36.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$999NOK 9,278
51.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$5,278NOK 49.0K
-28.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$3,870NOK 36.0K
-32.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Steinkjer
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
-
-
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: June 2, 2026
Last update for Steinkjer: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,022 in Steinkjer. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $55.0 in Steinkjer for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $460 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 $1,898 in Phuket and $3,060 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: $613 in Phuket versus $1,022 in Steinkjer. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $329 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 Steinkjer?
Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Steinkjer. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Steinkjer?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,040 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.