🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,746 in Stokmarknes.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $4,147 in Stokmarknes.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $5,548 in Stokmarknes.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 54% less than in Stokmarknes, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 9% below, Stokmarknes is 100% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿150
$18.85NOK 175
-75.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.62฿1,072
$117NOK 1,093
-72.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.90฿293
$15.96NOK 149
-44.24%
Cappuccino
$2.80฿92.2
$5.65NOK 52.6
-50.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿28.93
$4.03NOK 37.48
-78.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.08
$3.07NOK 28.55
-84.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.39฿78.5
$12.03NOK 112
-80.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71฿122
$9.93NOK 92.4
-62.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.79฿58.7
$2.46NOK 22.91
-27.24%
White Bread(500g)
$1.44฿47.38
$3.71NOK 34.54
-61.19%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.58฿52.1
$3.94NOK 36.65
-59.90%
Eggs
$2.13฿69.9
$4.92NOK 45.81
-56.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.92฿655
$13.28NOK 124
50.00%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.43฿113
$15.66NOK 146
-78.10%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.33฿372
$30.11NOK 280
-62.37%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95฿96.9
$3.49NOK 32.49
-15.47%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿56.6
$2.63NOK 24.45
-34.60%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.32฿76.4
$3.47NOK 32.33
-33.14%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$5.27NOK 49.05
-60.53%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.33
$2.69NOK 25.00
-45.35%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36฿44.64
$2.91NOK 27.05
-53.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.12
$3.00NOK 27.91
-63.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57฿18.89
$2.41NOK 22.40
-76.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿140
$17.70NOK 165
-75.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.42฿605
$16.84NOK 157
9.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87฿61.5
$3.58NOK 33.36
-47.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92฿96.0
$4.38NOK 40.73
-33.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.22฿72.9
$4.74NOK 44.11
-53.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.90฿753
$78.0NOK 726
-70.64%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿99.6
$12.11NOK 113
-74.98%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.07฿35.31
$1.86NOK 17.34
-42.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.93฿129
$62.7NOK 583
-93.73%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.04
$2.33NOK 21.71
-36.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K฿891.7K
$50.2KNOK 467.4K
-45.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K฿902.3K
$41.0KNOK 381.3K
-33.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103฿3,379
$294NOK 2,733
-64.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.99฿361
$37.14NOK 346
-70.41%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.51฿576
$65.6NOK 610
-73.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.5฿1,760
$51.1NOK 476
4.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.20฿368
$42.20NOK 393
-73.46%
Cinema Ticket
$7.48฿246
$17.75NOK 165
-57.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$557฿18.3K
$282NOK 2,625
97.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.9K฿389.6K
$11.7KNOK 109.3K
0.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.1฿2,106
$99.6NOK 927
-35.70%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.07฿956
$57.2NOK 532
-49.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.0฿3,154
$139NOK 1,292
-30.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3฿2,970
$176NOK 1,637
-48.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$730฿24.0K
$1,382NOK 12.9K
-47.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$500฿16.4K
$1,087NOK 10.1K
-54.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,090฿68.7K
$2,312NOK 21.5K
-9.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209฿39.7K
$1,591NOK 14.8K
-23.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,596฿118.2K
$5,535NOK 51.5K
-35.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,512฿82.6K
$4,575NOK 42.6K
-45.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
4.96
12.30%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Last update for Stokmarknes: August 29, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $1,382 in Stokmarknes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $117 in Stokmarknes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $494 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 Stokmarknes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stokmarknes cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 119% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,880 in Phuket and $4,119 in Stokmarknes 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 Stokmarknes?
Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $1,382 in Stokmarknes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $282 in Stokmarknes. 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 Stokmarknes?
Supermarket bills run roughly 81% higher in Stokmarknes. 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 Stokmarknes?
At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,746 in Stokmarknes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Stokmarknes. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Stokmarknes more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Stokmarknes, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Stokmarknes?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Stokmarknes 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 119% less than in Stokmarknes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.