🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,692 in Fredrikstad.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $4,055 in Fredrikstad.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $5,418 in Fredrikstad.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 53% less than in Fredrikstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Fredrikstad is 101% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Fredrikstad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$18.53NOK 172
-74.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$110NOK 1,018
-58.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$11.98NOK 111
-29.63%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$5.16NOK 47.91
-43.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$3.90NOK 36.25
-82.31%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$2.80NOK 25.98
-86.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$11.30NOK 105
-78.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$10.19NOK 94.7
-63.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Fredrikstad
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$2.17NOK 20.17
2.76%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$4.45NOK 41.36
-58.88%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$3.23NOK 30.00
-32.82%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$5.46NOK 50.8
-59.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$11.89NOK 110
66.02%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$15.75NOK 146
-76.95%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$33.73NOK 313
-59.89%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$4.74NOK 44.06
-30.80%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$3.45NOK 32.09
-53.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$4.50NOK 41.83
-46.44%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$5.06NOK 47.00
-58.89%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$2.89NOK 26.81
-47.06%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$2.75NOK 25.58
-46.18%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$2.73NOK 25.40
-63.74%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$1.82NOK 16.94
-71.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$15.09NOK 140
-70.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$22.89NOK 213
-15.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$3.32NOK 30.80
-46.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$6.01NOK 55.8
-54.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Fredrikstad
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$3.90NOK 36.22
-64.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$62.3NOK 579
-81.71%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$6.15NOK 57.1
-50.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$1.46NOK 13.56
-32.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$53.8NOK 500
-73.80%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$2.32NOK 21.58
-41.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$35.3KNOK 328.0K
-20.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$37.8KNOK 351.5K
-13.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Fredrikstad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$336NOK 3,119
-63.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$38.13NOK 354
-64.41%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$56.0NOK 520
-67.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Fredrikstad
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$48.08NOK 447
25.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$39.46NOK 367
-56.56%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$21.86NOK 203
-60.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Fredrikstad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$283NOK 2,629
145.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$10.1KNOK 93.9K
55.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Fredrikstad
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$149NOK 1,383
-60.00%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$61.3NOK 569
-43.28%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$166NOK 1,539
-30.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$134NOK 1,242
-37.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Fredrikstad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$1,288NOK 12.0K
-52.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$953NOK 8,851
-54.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$2,048NOK 19.0K
2.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$1,537NOK 14.3K
-1.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$6,150NOK 57.1K
-39.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$4,533NOK 42.1K
-42.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Fredrikstad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$3,416NOK 31.7K
-85.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.25
25.41%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Fredrikstad: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,288 in Fredrikstad. 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $110 in Fredrikstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $526 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
Phuket vs Fredrikstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fredrikstad cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 113% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Fredrikstad?
On paper, Fredrikstad earns 572% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Fredrikstad?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,288 in Fredrikstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $283 in Fredrikstad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Fredrikstad?
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 Phuket or Fredrikstad?
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 Phuket or Fredrikstad 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, Phuket or Fredrikstad?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Fredrikstad 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.