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: $2,283 in Torshavn versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,540 in Torshavn versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,797 in Torshavn versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Torshavn is roughly 81% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Torshavn is 70% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.66 FOK 153

$4.56 ฿149

418.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$141 FOK 909

$46.63 ฿1,519

202.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.34 FOK 131

$8.47 ฿276

140.14%

Cappuccino

$7.25 FOK 46.77

$3.03 ฿98.6

139.27%

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

$3.26 FOK 21.01

$0.69 ฿22.45

372.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 FOK 16.78

$0.37 ฿11.92

602.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.06 FOK 58.5

$2.49 ฿81.0

263.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.74 FOK 56.4

$3.66 ฿119

138.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 FOK 15.05

$2.18 ฿71.0

6.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 FOK 26.24

$1.90 ฿62.0

114.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 FOK 11.73

$2.20 ฿71.6

-17.27%

Eggs

$5.91 FOK 38.13

$2.22 ฿72.4

166.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.62 FOK 81.4

$19.99 ฿651

-36.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.23 FOK 91.8

$3.66 ฿119

288.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 FOK 14.91

$3.23 ฿105

-28.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 FOK 18.40

$1.70 ฿55.3

67.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 FOK 19.74

$2.39 ฿78.0

28.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 FOK 12.11

$2.08 ฿67.7

-9.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 FOK 17.66

$1.59 ฿51.8

72.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 FOK 22.21

$1.48 ฿48.31

132.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 FOK 15.89

$1.03 ฿33.54

138.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 FOK 17.92

$0.52 ฿16.83

434.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 FOK 70.5

$4.25 ฿138

157.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 FOK 80.6

$18.79 ฿612

-33.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 FOK 13.59

$1.76 ฿57.2

19.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 FOK 20.08

$2.76 ฿89.8

12.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.22 FOK 78.8

$3.14 ฿102

289.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 FOK 13.06

$1.34 ฿43.79

50.75%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$56.5K FOK 364.7K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

66.98%

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

$132 FOK 851

$124 ฿4,025

6.81%

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

$40.64 FOK 262

$13.52 ฿440

200.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 FOK 418

$18.69 ฿609

246.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.50 FOK 261

$61.8 ฿2,013

-34.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$16.35 FOK 105

$9.14 ฿298

78.88%

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

$567 FOK 3,657

$703 ฿22.9K

-19.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$154 FOK 992

$59.5 ฿1,937

158.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.8 FOK 399

$35.07 ฿1,142

76.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$168 FOK 1,080

$115 ฿3,754

45.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$221 FOK 1,422

$84.1 ฿2,737

162.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 FOK 7,117

$619 ฿20.1K

78.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$925 FOK 5,969

$433 ฿14.1K

113.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,915 FOK 12.4K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-7.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 FOK 9,777

$1,511 ฿49.2K

0.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,826 FOK 31.1K

$3,646 ฿118.7K

32.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,722 FOK 30.5K

$2,626 ฿85.5K

79.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,282 FOK 21.2K

$507 ฿16.5K

547.29%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Torshavn and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Torshavn pays 547% 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: $141 in Torshavn vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 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

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 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Torshavn pays 547% more on average, 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: $1,103 in Torshavn versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $567 in Torshavn versus $703 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 $47.00 versus $141 in Torshavn. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,283 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 81% less than in Torshavn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.