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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,419 in Grimstad.

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

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

Living in Phuket costs roughly 48% less than in Grimstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$22.86 NOK 220

-80.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$51.4 NOK 495

-10.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$14.51 NOK 140

-39.08%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$4.64 NOK 44.71

-34.05%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$4.11 NOK 39.60

-82.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$3.31 NOK 31.88

-87.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$12.28 NOK 118

-80.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$10.26 NOK 99.0

-63.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.38 NOK 23.00

-5.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$3.19 NOK 30.71

-43.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$3.01 NOK 29.03

-25.25%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$3.14 NOK 30.30

-28.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$10.62 NOK 102

83.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$13.86 NOK 134

-73.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$16.46 NOK 159

-20.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.96 NOK 18.94

64.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.31 NOK 22.31

-29.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$3.36 NOK 32.38

-29.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$4.16 NOK 40.08

-51.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.55 NOK 24.56

-40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.59 NOK 24.99

-42.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$2.82 NOK 27.23

-65.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$1.79 NOK 17.22

-70.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$17.50 NOK 169

-74.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$15.11 NOK 146

21.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$3.44 NOK 33.17

-45.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$4.24 NOK 40.92

-36.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$4.99 NOK 48.08

-71.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$75.6 NOK 729

-84.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$10.28 NOK 99.1

-69.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.38 NOK 13.28

-24.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$43.03 NOK 415

-67.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$2.29 NOK 22.08

-42.79%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$35.7K NOK 344.2K

-22.07%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$43.4K NOK 419.0K

-23.55%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$301 NOK 2,906

-59.37%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$27.66 NOK 267

-50.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$56.2 NOK 542

-66.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$48.46 NOK 467

24.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$36.04 NOK 347

-52.89%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$15.25 NOK 147

-40.52%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$266 NOK 2,563

165.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$14.7K NOK 141.9K

7.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$49.94 NOK 482

17.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$59.8 NOK 576

-40.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$99.5 NOK 959

16.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$163 NOK 1,572

-48.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$1,218 NOK 11.7K

-48.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$883 NOK 8,517

-49.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$1,843 NOK 17.8K

10.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,565 NOK 15.1K

-4.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$4,625 NOK 44.6K

-24.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$3,233 NOK 31.2K

-20.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$4,383 NOK 42.3K

-88.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.9

8.78%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $1,218 in Grimstad. 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $51.0 in Grimstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $390 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 777% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $1,218 in Grimstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $2,419 in Grimstad – 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, 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 94% less than in Grimstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.