Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ulsteinvik

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $2,608 in Ulsteinvik, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
128

Cost of Living Index in Ulsteinvik
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Ulsteinvik Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Ulsteinvik

🇳🇴 Norway

$2,608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Ulsteinvik

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Ulsteinvik actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $2,608 in Ulsteinvik.

Phuket $1,207
Ulsteinvik $2,608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $3,954 in Ulsteinvik.

Phuket $2,037
Ulsteinvik $3,954

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $5,301 in Ulsteinvik.

Phuket $2,867
Ulsteinvik $5,301

Living in Phuket costs roughly 54% less than in Ulsteinvik, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Ulsteinvik is 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 ฿153

$20.24 NOK 191

-77.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.48 ฿1,086

$106 NOK 996

-69.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ฿286

$13.39 NOK 126

-36.15%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.0

$4.68 NOK 44.06

-41.88%

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

$0.94 ฿31.25

$4.17 NOK 39.26

-77.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.39

$2.84 NOK 26.77

-82.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

$13.40 NOK 126

-80.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$9.98 NOK 93.9

-61.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.1

$2.50 NOK 23.54

-30.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.82

$3.59 NOK 33.75

-60.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.0

$3.81 NOK 35.86

-59.84%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$4.92 NOK 46.35

-55.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ฿640

$13.40 NOK 126

42.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿110

$15.42 NOK 145

-78.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿372

$31.06 NOK 292

-64.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.5

$3.29 NOK 30.93

-10.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$2.70 NOK 25.44

-37.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿76.8

$3.44 NOK 32.39

-33.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿71.3

$4.77 NOK 44.87

-55.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.1

$2.52 NOK 23.72

-39.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.55

$2.93 NOK 27.55

-53.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ฿37.44

$2.90 NOK 27.27

-61.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$2.55 NOK 23.97

-78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$17.56 NOK 165

-75.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 ฿608

$16.52 NOK 156

10.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.2

$3.81 NOK 35.82

-54.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.3

$3.90 NOK 36.72

-28.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿74.1

$4.86 NOK 45.79

-54.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

$85.7 NOK 806

-74.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ฿97.3

$13.46 NOK 127

-78.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ฿33.79

$1.73 NOK 16.25

-41.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ฿128

$69.0 NOK 649

-94.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.85

$2.13 NOK 20.01

-30.05%

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

$26.7K ฿891.6K

$41.7K NOK 393.0K

-36.09%

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

$26.7K ฿892.7K

$42.9K NOK 404.3K

-37.81%

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

$99.4 ฿3,321

$266 NOK 2,505

-62.66%

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

$11.28 ฿377

$29.25 NOK 275

-61.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 ฿580

$53.4 NOK 503

-67.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ฿1,747

$48.70 NOK 458

7.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

$34.49 NOK 325

-68.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ฿253

$17.01 NOK 160

-55.50%

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

$558 ฿18.7K

$214 NOK 2,017

160.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.9K

$14.6K NOK 137.2K

-21.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ฿2,102

$98.4 NOK 927

-36.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.58 ฿955

$49.95 NOK 470

-42.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ฿3,213

$121 NOK 1,136

-20.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 ฿2,943

$135 NOK 1,271

-34.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ฿24.4K

$1,096 NOK 10.3K

-33.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ฿15.4K

$1,002 NOK 9,434

-54.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ฿70.0K

$1,785 NOK 16.8K

17.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 ฿40.8K

$1,659 NOK 15.6K

-26.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,459 ฿115.6K

$7,015 NOK 66.0K

-50.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 ฿83.2K

$4,138 NOK 39.0K

-39.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$493 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.94

12.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Ulsteinvik: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$460 38.1%

Ulsteinvik

$1K 38.4% 118% $542

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.2%

Ulsteinvik

$492 18.9% 83.9% $224

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$128 10.6%

Ulsteinvik

$349 13.4% 173% $221

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Ulsteinvik

$182 7% 46.6% $58

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10.1%

Ulsteinvik

$373 14.3% 208% $252

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$67 5.6%

Ulsteinvik

$83 3.2% 22.7% $15

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.2%

Ulsteinvik

$127 4.9% 227% $88

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $1,096 in Ulsteinvik. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $106 in Ulsteinvik for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $492 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇳🇴 Ulsteinvik

🕒 Local time

22:45 10:45 PM

17:45 5:45 PM

5 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

5,600

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Norwegian Krone NOK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 NOK = 10.62 USD

100 NOK = 9.45 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Ulsteinvik 9,360 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Ulsteinvik

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ulsteinvik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,811 in Phuket and $3,912 in Ulsteinvik 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Phuket versus $1,096 in Ulsteinvik. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $558 in Phuket versus $214 in Ulsteinvik. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 84% higher in Ulsteinvik. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,207 in Phuket versus $2,608 in Ulsteinvik, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ulsteinvik. 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 Ulsteinvik, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Ulsteinvik 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 116% less than in Ulsteinvik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.