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: $1,640 in Bålsta versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,500 in Bålsta versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,359 in Bålsta versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Bålsta is roughly 30% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bålsta is 22% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.33 SEK 124

$4.70 ฿153

183.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 SEK 637

$45.37 ฿1,482

50.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 SEK 88.1

$8.43 ฿275

11.98%

Cappuccino

$4.10 SEK 38.27

$2.93 ฿95.6

39.93%

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

$2.78 SEK 25.92

$0.69 ฿22.40

302.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 22.43

$0.37 ฿11.99

548.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 SEK 68.6

$2.41 ฿78.6

204.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 SEK 70.1

$3.72 ฿122

101.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 15.16

$2.23 ฿72.9

-27.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 SEK 19.41

$1.83 ฿59.8

13.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 35.36

$2.17 ฿70.8

74.65%

Eggs

$3.91 SEK 36.51

$2.21 ฿72.3

76.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.38 SEK 106

$19.74 ฿645

-42.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.86 SEK 111

$3.63 ฿119

226.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 SEK 106

$13.53 ฿442

-15.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 25.37

$3.28 ฿107

-17.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 SEK 24.76

$1.61 ฿52.6

64.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 SEK 22.20

$2.41 ฿78.6

-1.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 SEK 27.27

$2.08 ฿68.1

40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 14.56

$1.53 ฿49.93

1.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SEK 12.14

$1.48 ฿48.36

-12.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 SEK 14.97

$0.99 ฿32.29

61.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 SEK 9.68

$0.51 ฿16.67

103.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 SEK 70.2

$4.41 ฿144

70.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.83 SEK 101

$19.38 ฿633

-44.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.49

$1.78 ฿58.1

-12.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SEK 18.23

$2.71 ฿88.6

-28.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 31.82

$1.37 ฿44.79

148.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 SEK 681

$11.39 ฿372

541.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 SEK 57.9

$3.02 ฿98.6

105.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 SEK 11.14

$0.99 ฿32.48

20.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.6 SEK 761

$14.10 ฿461

478.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.05

$1.36 ฿44.51

41.91%

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

$32.0K SEK 298.3K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

13.34%

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

$34.4K SEK 320.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

4.50%

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

$53.1 SEK 495

$122 ฿3,975

-56.37%

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

$20.82 SEK 194

$13.57 ฿443

53.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.89 SEK 344

$18.31 ฿598

101.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.85 SEK 372

$60.2 ฿1,967

-33.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.53 SEK 238

$17.14 ฿560

48.95%

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 SEK 126

$8.69 ฿284

55.35%

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

$125 SEK 1,165

$693 ฿22.6K

-82.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$748 SEK 6,978

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-95.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.3 SEK 703

$59.5 ฿1,944

26.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.66 SEK 99.5

$34.77 ฿1,136

-69.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 SEK 789

$115 ฿3,743

-26.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 SEK 1,074

$83.3 ฿2,720

38.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 SEK 7,860

$613 ฿20.0K

37.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 SEK 6,199

$437 ฿14.3K

52.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,413 SEK 13.2K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-32.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 SEK 10.0K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-28.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,129 SEK 38.5K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

10.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,918 SEK 27.2K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

11.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,120 SEK 38.4K

$508 ฿16.6K

710.81%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $842 in Bålsta and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 711% 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: $68.0 in Bålsta vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $293 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 30% 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.

Bålsta pays 711% more on average, 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: $842 in Bålsta versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,640 per month in Bålsta versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 541% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,640 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 $1,265 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 30% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.