😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,817 in Jonkoping versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,860 in Jonkoping versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,902 in Jonkoping versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Jonkoping is roughly 44% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Jonkoping is 36% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jonkoping
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.81SEK 120
$4.70฿154
172.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.1SEK 818
$45.37฿1,483
91.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.13SEK 114
$8.43฿276
43.89%
Cappuccino
$4.88SEK 45.82
$2.93฿95.7
66.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86SEK 17.50
$0.69฿22.42
169.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16SEK 20.25
$0.37฿12.00
483.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.93SEK 74.5
$2.41฿78.7
229.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.31SEK 68.7
$3.72฿122
96.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jonkoping
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.61SEK 15.09
$2.23฿73.0
-27.80%
White Bread(500g)
$2.18SEK 20.46
$1.83฿59.9
19.13%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.03SEK 28.42
$2.17฿70.9
39.63%
Eggs
$3.86SEK 36.27
$2.21฿72.4
74.66%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.74SEK 120
$19.74฿645
-35.46%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.42SEK 107
$3.63฿119
214.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.97SEK 159
$13.53฿442
25.42%
Apples(1kg)
$3.34SEK 31.36
$3.28฿107
1.83%
Banana(1kg)
$2.64SEK 24.81
$1.61฿52.7
63.98%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.77SEK 26.02
$2.41฿78.7
14.94%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.45SEK 41.84
$2.08฿68.1
113.94%
Potato(1kg)
$1.72SEK 16.17
$1.53฿49.97
12.42%
Onion(1kg)
$1.57SEK 14.78
$1.48฿48.41
6.08%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.06SEK 19.31
$0.99฿32.32
108.08%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.29SEK 12.10
$0.51฿16.68
152.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.41SEK 69.6
$4.41฿144
68.03%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.94SEK 103
$19.38฿634
-43.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86SEK 17.49
$1.78฿58.1
4.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25SEK 21.13
$2.71฿88.7
-16.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Jonkoping
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.11SEK 38.60
$1.37฿44.83
200.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$78.2SEK 734
$11.39฿372
586.13%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.43SEK 51.0
$3.02฿98.7
79.80%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.83SEK 7.81
$0.99฿32.51
-16.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$78.0SEK 732
$14.10฿461
452.98%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.90SEK 17.85
$1.36฿44.55
39.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.3KSEK 237.6K
$28.2K฿921.9K
-10.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5KSEK 314.8K
$32.9K฿1.1M
1.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jonkoping
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122SEK 1,148
$122฿3,978
0.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.68SEK 269
$13.57฿444
111.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.48SEK 390
$18.31฿599
126.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jonkoping
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.30SEK 397
$60.2฿1,969
-29.76%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.25SEK 256
$17.14฿560
58.98%
Cinema Ticket
$16.59SEK 156
$8.69฿284
90.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jonkoping
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$154SEK 1,444
$693฿22.7K
-77.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,087SEK 38.4K
$15.7K฿512.8K
-73.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jonkoping
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.5SEK 747
$59.5฿1,946
33.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.93SEK 319
$34.77฿1,137
-2.42%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104SEK 979
$115฿3,746
-9.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130SEK 1,224
$83.3฿2,723
56.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jonkoping
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$860SEK 8,074
$613฿20.0K
40.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$674SEK 6,332
$437฿14.3K
54.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,442SEK 13.5K
$2,094฿68.5K
-31.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,237SEK 11.6K
$1,509฿49.3K
-18.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,633SEK 34.1K
$3,749฿122.6K
-3.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,616฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jonkoping
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,738SEK 25.7K
$508฿16.6K
438.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.53
5.33
-15.01%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Jonkoping: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $860 in Jonkoping and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Jonkoping pays 439% 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: $87.0 in Jonkoping vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 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
Jonkoping vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Jonkoping?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Jonkoping or Phuket?
Jonkoping pays 439% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Jonkoping and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $860 in Jonkoping versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $154 in Jonkoping versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Jonkoping and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Jonkoping. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Jonkoping or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,817 in Jonkoping, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Jonkoping. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Jonkoping or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Jonkoping, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Jonkoping or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Jonkoping 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Jonkoping. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.