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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,217 in Grimstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $3,795 in Grimstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $5,373 in Grimstad.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 43% less than in Grimstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Grimstad is 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$21.54 NOK 200

-78.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,066

$79.4 NOK 738

-59.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$15.52 NOK 144

-44.07%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.9

$4.83 NOK 44.89

-39.96%

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

$0.84 ฿27.91

$4.34 NOK 40.32

-80.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.17

$3.52 NOK 32.72

-86.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.1

$11.77 NOK 109

-78.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$10.92 NOK 101

-65.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.60 NOK 24.13

-27.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.58

$3.76 NOK 34.89

-62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$3.15 NOK 29.25

-48.57%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.62 NOK 33.61

-38.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$13.35 NOK 124

48.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$14.60 NOK 136

-76.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$25.16 NOK 234

-54.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.9

$2.18 NOK 20.28

33.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$2.38 NOK 22.13

-27.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.2

$3.50 NOK 32.53

-35.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.5

$4.41 NOK 40.96

-51.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.77

$2.78 NOK 25.85

-47.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.96

$2.98 NOK 27.69

-52.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.29

$3.20 NOK 29.76

-65.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.78

$1.93 NOK 17.96

-68.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$19.65 NOK 183

-78.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$15.93 NOK 148

16.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.6

$3.48 NOK 32.34

-48.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.1

$4.44 NOK 41.24

-33.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.3

$5.53 NOK 51.4

-59.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿777

$95.2 NOK 885

-75.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿103

$12.33 NOK 115

-74.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.59

$1.85 NOK 17.15

-41.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$71.1 NOK 660

-94.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.20

$2.25 NOK 20.91

-36.44%

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

$27.8K ฿918.9K

$49.3K NOK 457.6K

-43.59%

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

$27.0K ฿892.4K

$46.3K NOK 429.7K

-41.67%

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

$105 ฿3,466

$317 NOK 2,947

-66.97%

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

$11.39 ฿377

$33.46 NOK 311

-65.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$57.6 NOK 535

-69.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,797

$43.15 NOK 401

25.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$16.42 NOK 153

-52.62%

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

$576 ฿19.1K

$254 NOK 2,358

127.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿383.0K

$16.3K NOK 151.2K

-28.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,104

$97.7 NOK 908

-34.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿962

$54.4 NOK 505

-46.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,182

$108 NOK 999

-10.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,977

$158 NOK 1,469

-43.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$919 NOK 8,541

-20.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.6K

$535 NOK 4,971

-6.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.3K

$1,988 NOK 18.5K

6.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$1,829 NOK 17.0K

-31.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.9K

$4,773 NOK 44.3K

-25.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.7K

$3,457 NOK 32.1K

-24.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$4,632 NOK 43.0K

-89.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.9

13.67%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $919 in Grimstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimstad pays 813% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $79.0 in Grimstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $449 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 Grimstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 813% lower in Grimstad. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $919 in Grimstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $2,217 in Grimstad – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 305% less than in Grimstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,217 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, Phuket and Grimstad 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 75% less than in Grimstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.