Cost of Living Comparison Between Bålsta and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bålsta and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,609 in Bålsta versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,497 in Bålsta versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,386 in Bålsta versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Bålsta is roughly 29% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bålsta is 20% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.92 SEK 125

$4.55 ฿153

183.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 SEK 652

$46.18 ฿1,554

46.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 SEK 89.4

$8.84 ฿298

4.52%

Cappuccino

$4.15 SEK 40.11

$3.06 ฿103

35.62%

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

$2.78 SEK 26.92

$0.73 ฿24.42

280.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SEK 22.99

$0.40 ฿13.40

495.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 SEK 72.8

$2.43 ฿81.8

209.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 SEK 71.7

$3.78 ฿127

96.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SEK 15.48

$2.26 ฿76.0

-29.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 SEK 20.57

$1.81 ฿60.9

17.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 36.66

$2.25 ฿75.8

68.44%

Eggs

$3.86 SEK 37.30

$2.25 ฿75.6

71.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 SEK 113

$19.51 ฿656

-40.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.82 SEK 114

$3.65 ฿123

223.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.43 SEK 110

$13.05 ฿439

-12.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 24.87

$3.23 ฿109

-20.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 SEK 26.00

$1.62 ฿54.4

66.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 SEK 22.63

$2.38 ฿80.2

-1.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 SEK 29.13

$2.03 ฿68.2

48.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 SEK 15.16

$1.53 ฿51.6

2.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SEK 12.61

$1.50 ฿50.5

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 SEK 15.08

$0.98 ฿32.93

59.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 SEK 10.34

$0.52 ฿17.40

105.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.57 SEK 73.2

$4.44 ฿149

70.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.24 SEK 99.0

$18.32 ฿616

-44.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SEK 15.45

$1.86 ฿62.7

-13.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 SEK 18.52

$2.68 ฿90.2

-28.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 SEK 31.71

$1.41 ฿47.49

132.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.9 SEK 724

$11.70 ฿394

540.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 SEK 61.7

$3.11 ฿105

105.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 SEK 11.82

$1.04 ฿35.08

17.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.6 SEK 788

$14.11 ฿475

477.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.70

$1.31 ฿44.13

47.33%

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

$32.8K SEK 316.8K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

17.83%

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

$34.7K SEK 335.9K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

4.61%

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

$52.0 SEK 503

$122 ฿4,120

-57.50%

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

$21.11 SEK 204

$13.59 ฿457

55.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 SEK 353

$18.70 ฿629

95.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.47 SEK 391

$60.5 ฿2,035

-33.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 SEK 240

$16.98 ฿572

46.35%

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 SEK 132

$9.07 ฿305

50.50%

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

$128 SEK 1,241

$706 ฿23.8K

-81.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$734 SEK 7,091

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-95.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 SEK 724

$58.6 ฿1,970

27.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.69 SEK 103

$35.36 ฿1,190

-69.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 SEK 823

$115 ฿3,885

-26.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 SEK 1,110

$83.7 ฿2,818

37.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$824 SEK 7,962

$626 ฿21.1K

31.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 SEK 6,408

$445 ฿15.0K

48.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 SEK 13.3K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-32.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 SEK 10.3K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-28.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,802 SEK 36.7K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

9.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,106 SEK 30.0K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

20.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,963 SEK 38.3K

$500 ฿16.8K

692.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-43.71%

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

Last update for Bålsta: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $824 in Bålsta and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 693% 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: $67.0 in Bålsta vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 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

Bålsta vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Bålsta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 693% higher in Bålsta, 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: $824 in Bålsta versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,609 per month in Bålsta versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 540% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,609 in Bålsta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Bålsta. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,250 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bålsta 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 29% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.