😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,421 in Ulsteinvik versus $1,250 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,717 in Ulsteinvik versus $2,284 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,013 in Ulsteinvik versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Ulsteinvik is roughly 94% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Ulsteinvik is 81% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ulsteinvik
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.34NOK 244
$4.55฿153
456.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101NOK 976
$46.18฿1,550
119.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.79NOK 133
$8.84฿297
56.00%
Cappuccino
$4.85NOK 46.75
$3.06฿103
58.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07NOK 29.58
$0.73฿24.36
320.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79NOK 26.91
$0.40฿13.37
597.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$10.16NOK 97.8
$2.43฿81.6
318.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.61NOK 92.6
$3.78฿127
154.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ulsteinvik
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.27NOK 21.88
$2.26฿75.8
0.44%
White Bread(500g)
$3.40NOK 32.72
$1.81฿60.8
87.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.15NOK 30.34
$2.25฿75.7
40.00%
Eggs
$4.44NOK 42.73
$2.25฿75.4
97.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.09NOK 116
$19.51฿655
-38.03%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.71NOK 142
$3.65฿122
303.01%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$27.40NOK 264
$13.05฿438
109.96%
Apples(1kg)
$3.52NOK 33.93
$3.23฿109
8.98%
Banana(1kg)
$2.39NOK 23.01
$1.62฿54.3
47.53%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.36NOK 32.36
$2.38฿80.0
41.18%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.52NOK 43.51
$2.03฿68.0
122.66%
Potato(1kg)
$2.46NOK 23.70
$1.53฿51.5
60.78%
Onion(1kg)
$2.48NOK 23.91
$1.50฿50.4
65.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.80NOK 26.95
$0.98฿32.85
185.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.83NOK 17.65
$0.52฿17.36
251.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.45NOK 149
$4.44฿149
247.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.08NOK 165
$18.32฿615
-6.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.41NOK 32.89
$1.86฿62.6
83.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96NOK 38.16
$2.68฿90.0
47.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Ulsteinvik
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.33NOK 41.70
$1.41฿47.37
207.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$73.4NOK 707
$11.70฿393
527.69%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.10NOK 97.3
$3.11฿104
224.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.39NOK 13.35
$1.04฿35.00
33.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$46.69NOK 450
$14.11฿474
230.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.15NOK 20.68
$1.31฿44.02
64.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9KNOK 336.2K
$27.8K฿933.8K
25.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.9KNOK 374.5K
$33.2K฿1.1M
17.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ulsteinvik
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$238NOK 2,296
$122฿4,110
94.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.91NOK 365
$13.59฿456
178.96%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.4NOK 534
$18.70฿628
196.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ulsteinvik
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.12NOK 473
$60.5฿2,031
-18.80%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.10NOK 348
$16.98฿570
112.60%
Cinema Ticket
$16.64NOK 160
$9.07฿305
83.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ulsteinvik
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$279NOK 2,688
$706฿23.7K
-60.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.1KNOK 97.2K
$15.8K฿530.5K
-36.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ulsteinvik
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.6NOK 921
$58.6฿1,965
63.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.7NOK 508
$35.36฿1,187
49.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$110NOK 1,057
$115฿3,876
-4.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$152NOK 1,461
$83.7฿2,811
81.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ulsteinvik
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,206NOK 11.6K
$626฿21.0K
92.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$911NOK 8,771
$445฿14.9K
104.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,848NOK 17.8K
$2,040฿68.5K
-9.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,542NOK 14.9K
$1,492฿50.1K
3.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,806NOK 55.9K
$3,483฿116.9K
66.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,524NOK 33.9K
$2,577฿86.5K
36.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ulsteinvik
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$500฿16.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.38
5.33
-17.82%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ulsteinvik: July 12, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,206 in Ulsteinvik and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $101 in Ulsteinvik vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $452 vs $289 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
Ulsteinvik vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Ulsteinvik?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,631 in Ulsteinvik and $1,875 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 Ulsteinvik and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,206 in Ulsteinvik versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $279 in Ulsteinvik versus $706 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 Ulsteinvik and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Ulsteinvik. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ulsteinvik or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,421 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.
Is Ulsteinvik or Phuket more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Ulsteinvik or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Ulsteinvik 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 94% less than in Ulsteinvik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Ulsteinvik vs other spots: cost of living compared