Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsingborg and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsingborg and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,770 per month in Helsingborg vs $1,247 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,788 per month in Helsingborg vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,807 per month in Helsingborg vs $3,306 in Phuket, rent included.

Helsingborg costs about 42% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Helsingborg sits 31% above the global median, while Phuket is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.88 SEK 146

$4.59 ฿147

245.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 SEK 678

$46.83 ฿1,501

57.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 SEK 98.5

$8.70 ฿279

23.22%

Cappuccino

$4.71 SEK 43.27

$2.92 ฿93.7

61.30%

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

$2.83 SEK 25.99

$0.68 ฿21.92

316.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 SEK 24.35

$0.40 ฿12.70

562.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.40 SEK 68.1

$2.51 ฿80.4

194.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 SEK 58.0

$3.80 ฿122

66.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 14.05

$2.16 ฿69.3

-29.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 SEK 22.76

$1.88 ฿60.3

31.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 SEK 23.84

$2.16 ฿69.2

19.91%

Eggs

$4.72 SEK 43.34

$2.22 ฿71.2

112.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 SEK 96.0

$19.57 ฿627

-46.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.83 SEK 109

$3.80 ฿122

211.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.43 SEK 151

$13.41 ฿430

22.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 25.45

$3.26 ฿104

-15.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 SEK 25.28

$1.61 ฿51.7

70.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 SEK 28.74

$2.31 ฿74.0

35.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 SEK 35.32

$2.06 ฿66.0

86.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 SEK 13.82

$1.61 ฿51.5

-6.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 SEK 13.62

$1.44 ฿46.26

2.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 SEK 18.55

$1.03 ฿33.01

96.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SEK 15.62

$0.48 ฿15.39

254.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.37 SEK 67.7

$4.50 ฿144

63.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 SEK 97.2

$19.18 ฿615

-44.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 SEK 21.48

$1.82 ฿58.4

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 15.97

$2.69 ฿86.2

-35.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 SEK 31.25

$1.38 ฿44.16

146.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 SEK 596

$11.76 ฿377

451.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 SEK 28.92

$3.11 ฿99.6

1.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 SEK 15.17

$1.00 ฿32.18

65.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.98 SEK 184

$13.74 ฿441

45.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 17.50

$1.30 ฿41.61

46.15%

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

$32.8K SEK 301.4K

$27.4K ฿877.0K

19.90%

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

$34.0K SEK 312.4K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

2.97%

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

$119 SEK 1,097

$125 ฿4,004

-4.44%

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

$28.14 SEK 259

$13.74 ฿440

104.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.76 SEK 329

$18.61 ฿597

92.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.54 SEK 363

$60.6 ฿1,941

-34.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.16 SEK 204

$17.15 ฿550

29.21%

Cinema Ticket

$21.26 SEK 195

$9.01 ฿289

135.96%

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

$146 SEK 1,343

$698 ฿22.4K

-79.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,061 SEK 37.3K

$16.1K ฿516.5K

-74.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.6 SEK 749

$59.2 ฿1,898

37.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.01 SEK 395

$34.86 ฿1,118

23.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 SEK 781

$114 ฿3,662

-25.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 SEK 1,040

$85.8 ฿2,751

31.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 SEK 7,450

$619 ฿19.8K

31.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 SEK 5,905

$437 ฿14.0K

47.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 SEK 12.3K

$2,075 ฿66.5K

-35.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 SEK 10.5K

$1,509 ฿48.4K

-24.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,309 SEK 30.4K

$3,764 ฿120.7K

-12.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,470 SEK 22.7K

$2,694 ฿86.4K

-8.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,116 SEK 28.6K

$528 ฿16.9K

489.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.66

5.33

-12.57%

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

Last update for Helsingborg: April 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $811 in Helsingborg versus $619 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 490% higher in Helsingborg, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Helsingborg versus $47 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $292 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Helsingborg vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,770 in Helsingborg, $1,247 in Phuket – roughly 42% apart. Helsingborg costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,654 per month in Helsingborg and $1,870 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 452% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $146 per month in Helsingborg and $698 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,247, than in Helsingborg at $1,770. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Helsingborg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,247 in Phuket to $1,770 in Helsingborg. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Helsingborg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.