🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,447 in Stokmarknes.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $3,821 in Stokmarknes.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $5,194 in Stokmarknes.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 48% less than in Stokmarknes, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Stokmarknes is 83% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿150
$25.55NOK 238
-81.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44฿1,496
$101NOK 938
-53.96%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿280
$13.91NOK 129
-37.60%
Cappuccino
$2.95฿95.0
$5.05NOK 46.97
-41.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70฿22.52
$3.10NOK 28.84
-77.42%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿12.70
$2.89NOK 26.88
-86.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿81.6
$10.00NOK 93.0
-74.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿122
$9.43NOK 87.7
-59.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.22฿71.5
$2.21NOK 20.52
0.45%
White Bread(500g)
$1.80฿57.8
$3.45NOK 32.08
-47.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.19฿70.4
$3.18NOK 29.56
-31.13%
Eggs
$2.31฿74.5
$4.32NOK 40.21
-46.53%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.34฿623
$12.01NOK 112
61.03%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.77฿121
$14.75NOK 137
-74.44%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.22฿426
$28.21NOK 262
-53.14%
Apples(1kg)
$3.33฿107
$3.46NOK 32.22
-3.76%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65฿53.1
$2.36NOK 21.96
-30.08%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29฿73.7
$3.30NOK 30.72
-30.61%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿64.1
$4.57NOK 42.49
-56.46%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.24
$2.46NOK 22.89
-37.80%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51฿48.77
$2.59NOK 24.05
-41.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.12
$2.76NOK 25.70
-62.68%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.57
$1.83NOK 16.99
-72.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿142
$15.35NOK 143
-71.27%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.41฿625
$18.51NOK 172
4.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿58.0
$3.45NOK 32.08
-47.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿86.4
$3.97NOK 36.88
-32.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.43฿46.11
$4.23NOK 39.35
-66.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿377
$73.9NOK 687
-84.17%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04฿97.9
$10.00NOK 93.0
-69.60%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.37
$1.38NOK 12.87
-24.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.68฿441
$47.14NOK 438
-70.98%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30฿41.85
$2.11NOK 19.61
-38.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K฿898.9K
$36.1KNOK 336.0K
-22.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K฿1.1M
$39.0KNOK 362.6K
-15.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿3,962
$242NOK 2,246
-49.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82฿445
$38.33NOK 357
-63.94%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86฿608
$56.3NOK 524
-66.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.2฿1,970
$49.95NOK 465
22.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81฿541
$34.73NOK 323
-51.60%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿286
$16.41NOK 153
-45.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$696฿22.4K
$289NOK 2,686
141.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1K฿517.4K
$9,968NOK 92.7K
61.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,910
$95.9NOK 892
-38.19%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85฿1,123
$51.5NOK 479
-32.33%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,646
$109NOK 1,018
3.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1฿2,740
$154NOK 1,428
-44.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$615฿19.8K
$1,205NOK 11.2K
-48.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.4K
$902NOK 8,387
-50.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,085฿67.2K
$1,811NOK 16.8K
15.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿48.2K
$1,558NOK 14.5K
-3.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,734฿120.3K
$5,728NOK 53.3K
-34.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,662฿85.8K
$4,668NOK 43.4K
-42.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Stokmarknes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$534฿17.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.38
21.69%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Last update for Stokmarknes: April 21, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $1,205 in Stokmarknes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46 in Phuket vs $101 in Stokmarknes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $456 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,904 in Phuket and $3,671 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: $615 in Phuket versus $1,205 in Stokmarknes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $696 in Phuket versus $289 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 Stokmarknes?
Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Stokmarknes. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Stokmarknes?
At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,447 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 93% less than in Stokmarknes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.