Cost of Living Comparison Between Grimstad and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Grimstad and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,419 in Grimstad versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,510 in Grimstad versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,601 in Grimstad versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Grimstad is roughly 94% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Grimstad is 81% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.86 NOK 220

$4.55 ฿153

402.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 NOK 495

$46.18 ฿1,550

11.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.51 NOK 140

$8.84 ฿297

64.14%

Cappuccino

$4.64 NOK 44.66

$3.06 ฿103

51.63%

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

$4.11 NOK 39.55

$0.73 ฿24.36

463.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 NOK 31.84

$0.40 ฿13.37

727.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.28 NOK 118

$2.43 ฿81.6

405.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.26 NOK 98.9

$3.78 ฿127

171.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 NOK 22.97

$2.26 ฿75.8

5.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 NOK 30.68

$1.81 ฿60.8

76.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 NOK 28.99

$2.25 ฿75.7

33.78%

Eggs

$3.14 NOK 30.26

$2.25 ฿75.4

39.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 NOK 102

$19.51 ฿655

-45.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 NOK 133

$3.65 ฿122

279.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 NOK 159

$13.05 ฿438

26.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 NOK 18.92

$3.23 ฿109

-39.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 NOK 22.28

$1.62 ฿54.3

42.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 NOK 32.34

$2.38 ฿80.0

41.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 NOK 40.04

$2.03 ฿68.0

104.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 24.53

$1.53 ฿51.5

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 NOK 24.96

$1.50 ฿50.4

72.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 NOK 27.19

$0.98 ฿32.85

187.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 NOK 17.20

$0.52 ฿17.36

244.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.50 NOK 169

$4.44 ฿149

294.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 NOK 146

$18.32 ฿615

-17.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 NOK 33.14

$1.86 ฿62.6

84.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 NOK 40.87

$2.68 ฿90.0

58.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.99 NOK 48.02

$1.41 ฿47.37

253.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.6 NOK 728

$11.70 ฿393

546.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.28 NOK 99.0

$3.11 ฿104

230.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 13.27

$1.04 ฿35.00

32.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.03 NOK 414

$14.11 ฿474

204.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 22.06

$1.31 ฿44.02

74.81%

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

$35.7K NOK 343.8K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

28.31%

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

$43.4K NOK 418.5K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

30.80%

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

$301 NOK 2,903

$122 ฿4,110

146.15%

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

$27.66 NOK 266

$13.59 ฿456

103.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NOK 541

$18.70 ฿628

200.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.46 NOK 467

$60.5 ฿2,031

-19.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.04 NOK 347

$16.98 ฿570

112.25%

Cinema Ticket

$15.25 NOK 147

$9.07 ฿305

68.14%

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

$266 NOK 2,560

$706 ฿23.7K

-62.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 141.7K

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-6.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.94 NOK 481

$58.6 ฿1,965

-14.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 NOK 576

$35.36 ฿1,187

69.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 NOK 958

$115 ฿3,876

-13.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 NOK 1,571

$83.7 ฿2,811

94.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 NOK 11.7K

$626 ฿21.0K

94.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$883 NOK 8,508

$445 ฿14.9K

98.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 NOK 17.8K

$2,040 ฿68.5K

-9.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 NOK 15.1K

$1,492 ฿50.1K

4.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,625 NOK 44.5K

$3,483 ฿116.9K

32.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,233 NOK 31.1K

$2,577 ฿86.5K

25.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,383 NOK 42.2K

$500 ฿16.8K

776.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.9

5.33

-8.07%

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

Last update for Grimstad: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,218 in Grimstad and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimstad pays 777% 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: $51.0 in Grimstad vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 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

Grimstad vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 777% higher in Grimstad, 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: $1,218 in Grimstad versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,419 per month in Grimstad versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 546% less than in Grimstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,419 in Grimstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Grimstad. 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 Grimstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Grimstad 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 94% less than in Grimstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.