Cost of Living Comparison Between Torshavn and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Torshavn and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,343 in Torshavn versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,577 in Torshavn versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,812 in Torshavn versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Torshavn is roughly 85% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Torshavn is 76% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.51 FOK 152

$4.48 ฿150

424.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$140 FOK 905

$45.59 ฿1,521

206.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.36 FOK 132

$8.76 ฿292

132.42%

Cappuccino

$7.16 FOK 46.40

$2.97 ฿99.0

141.08%

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

$3.15 FOK 20.43

$0.69 ฿22.90

356.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 FOK 17.53

$0.39 ฿13.04

594.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.23 FOK 59.8

$2.53 ฿84.4

264.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.34 FOK 54.1

$3.75 ฿125

122.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 FOK 14.64

$2.15 ฿71.6

5.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.86 FOK 25.02

$1.82 ฿60.6

112.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 FOK 11.88

$2.18 ฿72.9

-16.06%

Eggs

$5.70 FOK 36.96

$2.25 ฿75.0

153.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 FOK 83.4

$20.00 ฿667

-35.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.78 FOK 89.3

$3.63 ฿121

279.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 FOK 15.52

$3.24 ฿108

-26.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 FOK 18.26

$1.64 ฿54.6

71.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 FOK 20.30

$2.33 ฿77.8

34.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 FOK 12.40

$2.07 ฿69.1

-7.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 FOK 17.93

$1.55 ฿51.6

78.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 FOK 21.60

$1.46 ฿48.54

128.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 FOK 16.14

$0.98 ฿32.86

154.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 FOK 17.85

$0.48 ฿16.09

475.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.75 FOK 69.7

$4.35 ฿145

147.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 FOK 81.8

$18.57 ฿620

-31.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 FOK 14.37

$1.86 ฿61.9

19.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 FOK 19.96

$2.65 ฿88.6

16.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.62 FOK 81.8

$3.17 ฿106

298.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 FOK 13.03

$1.34 ฿44.84

50.00%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

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

$56.2K FOK 364.3K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

68.40%

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

$133 FOK 861

$123 ฿4,105

7.95%

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

$39.76 FOK 258

$13.77 ฿459

188.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 FOK 420

$18.33 ฿611

253.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.96 FOK 259

$60.7 ฿2,025

-34.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 FOK 106

$8.87 ฿296

84.67%

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

$561 FOK 3,634

$688 ฿22.9K

-18.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$150 FOK 975

$59.3 ฿1,978

153.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 FOK 403

$34.69 ฿1,157

79.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$170 FOK 1,104

$115 ฿3,843

47.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$222 FOK 1,436

$83.8 ฿2,794

164.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 FOK 7,358

$621 ฿20.7K

82.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$928 FOK 6,015

$446 ฿14.9K

108.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 FOK 12.6K

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-4.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 FOK 9,926

$1,496 ฿49.9K

2.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,661 FOK 30.2K

$3,455 ฿115.3K

34.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,696 FOK 30.4K

$2,531 ฿84.4K

85.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,266 FOK 21.2K

$494 ฿16.5K

561.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Torshavn: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,135 in Torshavn and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Torshavn pays 562% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $140 in Torshavn vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $291 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

Torshavn vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 562% higher in Torshavn, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,135 in Torshavn versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Torshavn versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $140 in Torshavn. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,343 in Torshavn, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Torshavn. 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 Torshavn, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Torshavn 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Torshavn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.