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 $2,376 in Grimstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,522 in Grimstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $4,667 in Grimstad.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 47% less than in Grimstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Grimstad is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$23.19 NOK 215

-79.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$50.5 NOK 469

-10.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$14.85 NOK 138

-43.23%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$4.59 NOK 42.64

-36.17%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$4.13 NOK 38.33

-83.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$3.30 NOK 30.64

-88.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$12.12 NOK 113

-80.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$10.08 NOK 93.7

-63.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$2.37 NOK 22.03

-5.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$3.17 NOK 29.46

-42.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$3.02 NOK 28.06

-28.15%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.28 NOK 30.45

-32.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$10.70 NOK 99.4

84.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$13.68 NOK 127

-73.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$16.50 NOK 153

-18.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.98 NOK 18.36

65.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.34 NOK 21.70

-31.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.44 NOK 31.93

-29.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.98 NOK 36.99

-47.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.51 NOK 23.31

-39.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.69 NOK 25.03

-44.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$2.85 NOK 26.44

-65.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.79 NOK 16.66

-71.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$17.44 NOK 162

-74.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$15.90 NOK 148

21.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$3.35 NOK 31.10

-46.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$4.30 NOK 39.96

-36.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$5.00 NOK 46.43

-72.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$76.8 NOK 714

-85.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$10.17 NOK 94.5

-70.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.45 NOK 13.51

-31.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$41.98 NOK 390

-66.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$2.17 NOK 20.20

-37.33%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$36.0K NOK 334.7K

-21.73%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$42.7K NOK 396.4K

-22.89%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$305 NOK 2,833

-60.09%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$27.64 NOK 257

-50.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$56.3 NOK 523

-67.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$50.1 NOK 466

20.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$35.26 NOK 328

-51.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$14.95 NOK 139

-41.87%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$271 NOK 2,513

156.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$14.9K NOK 138.7K

5.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$49.92 NOK 464

19.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$61.6 NOK 572

-43.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$100 NOK 930

14.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$163 NOK 1,517

-48.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$1,214 NOK 11.3K

-49.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$891 NOK 8,280

-50.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,790 NOK 16.6K

17.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,535 NOK 14.3K

-1.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$4,641 NOK 43.1K

-89.05%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,214 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $51.0 in Grimstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $391 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 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Grimstad earns 813% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $1,214 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 $2,376 in Grimstad – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 574% 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 $2,376 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 88% less than in Grimstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.