😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,040 in Steinkjer versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,013 in Steinkjer versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,985 in Steinkjer versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Steinkjer is roughly 61% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Steinkjer is 52% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Steinkjer
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.84NOK 212
$4.70฿153
385.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.9NOK 510
$45.37฿1,482
20.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.05NOK 121
$8.43฿275
54.80%
Cappuccino
$4.64NOK 43.10
$2.93฿95.6
58.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.64NOK 33.80
$0.69฿22.40
427.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87NOK 26.70
$0.37฿11.99
675.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$10.01NOK 93.0
$2.41฿78.6
315.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.13NOK 56.9
$3.72฿122
64.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Steinkjer
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.96NOK 18.24
$2.23฿72.9
-12.11%
White Bread(500g)
$3.63NOK 33.73
$1.83฿59.8
98.36%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.07NOK 28.52
$2.17฿70.8
41.47%
Eggs
$4.64NOK 43.13
$2.21฿72.3
109.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.14NOK 94.2
$19.74฿645
-48.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.08NOK 140
$3.63฿119
315.43%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$28.06NOK 261
$13.53฿442
107.39%
Apples(1kg)
$3.93NOK 36.53
$3.28฿107
19.82%
Banana(1kg)
$2.25NOK 20.88
$1.61฿52.6
39.75%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.57NOK 23.92
$2.41฿78.6
6.64%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.08NOK 47.16
$2.08฿68.1
144.23%
Potato(1kg)
$2.03NOK 18.90
$1.53฿49.93
32.68%
Onion(1kg)
$2.06NOK 19.18
$1.48฿48.36
39.19%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.51NOK 23.35
$0.99฿32.29
153.54%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.40NOK 22.25
$0.51฿16.67
370.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.41NOK 134
$4.41฿144
226.76%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.92NOK 176
$19.38฿633
-2.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.52NOK 32.66
$1.78฿58.1
97.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.81NOK 44.68
$2.71฿88.6
77.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Steinkjer
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.01NOK 37.21
$1.37฿44.79
192.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$74.3NOK 691
$11.39฿372
552.59%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$14.99NOK 139
$3.02฿98.6
396.36%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.23NOK 20.73
$0.99฿32.48
125.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$89.5NOK 831
$14.10฿461
534.40%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.98NOK 18.35
$1.36฿44.51
45.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.8KNOK 295.3K
$28.2K฿921.1K
12.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.7KNOK 396.6K
$32.9K฿1.1M
29.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Steinkjer
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$150NOK 1,397
$122฿3,975
23.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$42.78NOK 397
$13.57฿443
215.25%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.6NOK 470
$18.31฿598
176.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Steinkjer
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.84NOK 286
$60.2฿1,967
-48.79%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.02NOK 335
$17.14฿560
110.15%
Cinema Ticket
$15.26NOK 142
$8.69฿284
75.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Steinkjer
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$329NOK 3,060
$693฿22.6K
-52.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,468NOK 78.7K
$15.7K฿512.3K
-46.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Steinkjer
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.9NOK 473
$59.5฿1,944
-14.51%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.97NOK 278
$34.77฿1,136
-13.81%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$61.0NOK 567
$115฿3,743
-46.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129NOK 1,198
$83.3฿2,720
54.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Steinkjer
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,022NOK 9,499
$613฿20.0K
66.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$648NOK 6,020
$437฿14.3K
48.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,530NOK 14.2K
$2,094฿68.4K
-26.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$999NOK 9,278
$1,509฿49.3K
-33.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,278NOK 49.0K
$3,749฿122.5K
40.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,870NOK 36.0K
$2,616฿85.4K
47.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Steinkjer
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
1.5
5.33
-71.86%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Steinkjer: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Steinkjer and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $55.0 in Steinkjer vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $460 vs $293 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
Steinkjer vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Steinkjer?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $3,060 in Steinkjer and $1,898 in Phuket 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 Steinkjer and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Steinkjer versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $329 in Steinkjer versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Steinkjer and Phuket?
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 Steinkjer or Phuket?
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 Steinkjer or Phuket 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, Steinkjer or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Steinkjer and Phuket 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.