😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,692 in Fredrikstad versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,055 in Fredrikstad versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,418 in Fredrikstad versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Fredrikstad is roughly 113% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Fredrikstad is 101% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fredrikstad
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.53NOK 172
$4.70฿153
294.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$110NOK 1,018
$45.37฿1,482
141.57%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.98NOK 111
$8.43฿275
42.11%
Cappuccino
$5.16NOK 47.91
$2.93฿95.6
76.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.90NOK 36.25
$0.69฿22.40
465.22%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80NOK 25.98
$0.37฿11.99
656.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$11.30NOK 105
$2.41฿78.6
368.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$10.19NOK 94.7
$3.72฿122
173.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fredrikstad
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.17NOK 20.17
$2.23฿72.9
-2.69%
White Bread(500g)
$4.45NOK 41.36
$1.83฿59.8
143.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.23NOK 30.00
$2.17฿70.8
48.85%
Eggs
$5.46NOK 50.8
$2.21฿72.3
147.06%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.89NOK 110
$19.74฿645
-39.77%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.75NOK 146
$3.63฿119
333.88%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$33.73NOK 313
$13.53฿442
149.30%
Apples(1kg)
$4.74NOK 44.06
$3.28฿107
44.51%
Banana(1kg)
$3.45NOK 32.09
$1.61฿52.6
114.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.50NOK 41.83
$2.41฿78.6
86.72%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.06NOK 47.00
$2.08฿68.1
143.27%
Potato(1kg)
$2.89NOK 26.81
$1.53฿49.93
88.89%
Onion(1kg)
$2.75NOK 25.58
$1.48฿48.36
85.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.73NOK 25.40
$0.99฿32.29
175.76%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.82NOK 16.94
$0.51฿16.67
256.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.09NOK 140
$4.41฿144
242.18%
Wine(Bottle)
$22.89NOK 213
$19.38฿633
18.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.32NOK 30.80
$1.78฿58.1
86.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.01NOK 55.8
$2.71฿88.6
121.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Fredrikstad
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.90NOK 36.22
$1.37฿44.79
184.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$62.3NOK 579
$11.39฿372
446.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.15NOK 57.1
$3.02฿98.6
103.64%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.46NOK 13.56
$0.99฿32.48
47.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$53.8NOK 500
$14.10฿461
281.63%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.32NOK 21.58
$1.36฿44.51
70.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3KNOK 328.0K
$28.2K฿921.1K
25.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.8KNOK 351.5K
$32.9K฿1.1M
15.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fredrikstad
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$336NOK 3,119
$122฿3,975
175.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.13NOK 354
$13.57฿443
180.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.0NOK 520
$18.31฿598
205.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fredrikstad
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.08NOK 447
$60.2฿1,967
-20.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$39.46NOK 367
$17.14฿560
130.22%
Cinema Ticket
$21.86NOK 203
$8.69฿284
151.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fredrikstad
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$283NOK 2,629
$693฿22.6K
-59.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.1KNOK 93.9K
$15.7K฿512.3K
-35.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fredrikstad
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$149NOK 1,383
$59.5฿1,944
150.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.3NOK 569
$34.77฿1,136
76.30%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$166NOK 1,539
$115฿3,743
44.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134NOK 1,242
$83.3฿2,720
60.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fredrikstad
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,288NOK 12.0K
$613฿20.0K
110.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$953NOK 8,851
$437฿14.3K
117.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048NOK 19.0K
$2,094฿68.4K
-2.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,537NOK 14.3K
$1,509฿49.3K
1.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,150NOK 57.1K
$3,749฿122.5K
64.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,533NOK 42.1K
$2,616฿85.4K
73.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fredrikstad
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,416NOK 31.7K
$508฿16.6K
572.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.25
5.33
-20.26%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Fredrikstad: June 2, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,288 in Fredrikstad and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Fredrikstad pays 572% 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: $110 in Fredrikstad vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $526 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
Fredrikstad vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Fredrikstad?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 113% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Fredrikstad or Phuket?
Fredrikstad pays 572% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Fredrikstad and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,288 in Fredrikstad 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 $283 in Fredrikstad 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 Fredrikstad and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Fredrikstad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Fredrikstad or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,692 in Fredrikstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Fredrikstad. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Fredrikstad or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Fredrikstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Fredrikstad or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Fredrikstad 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 113% less than in Fredrikstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Fredrikstad vs other spots: cost of living compared