Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalmar and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalmar and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,862 per month in Kalmar vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,801 per month in Kalmar vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,740 per month in Kalmar vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Kalmar costs about 47% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kalmar sits 39% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 SEK 150

$4.70 ฿153

241.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 SEK 693

$45.37 ฿1,482

63.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 SEK 98.6

$8.43 ฿275

25.27%

Cappuccino

$4.56 SEK 42.55

$2.93 ฿95.6

55.63%

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

$2.89 SEK 26.97

$0.69 ฿22.40

318.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 24.85

$0.37 ฿11.99

618.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.71 SEK 90.6

$2.41 ฿78.6

302.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 SEK 69.3

$3.72 ฿122

99.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 SEK 13.77

$2.23 ฿72.9

-33.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 SEK 22.28

$1.83 ฿59.8

30.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.05

$2.17 ฿70.8

18.89%

Eggs

$4.88 SEK 45.52

$2.21 ฿72.3

120.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 SEK 96.7

$19.74 ฿645

-47.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.73 SEK 109

$3.63 ฿119

223.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 SEK 151

$13.53 ฿442

19.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 24.42

$3.28 ฿107

-20.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 SEK 26.03

$1.61 ฿52.6

73.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 SEK 29.16

$2.41 ฿78.6

29.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 SEK 34.51

$2.08 ฿68.1

77.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SEK 13.33

$1.53 ฿49.93

-6.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 SEK 21.87

$1.48 ฿48.36

58.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 SEK 19.19

$0.99 ฿32.29

108.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.44

$0.51 ฿16.67

225.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 68.1

$4.41 ฿144

65.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.90 SEK 92.4

$19.38 ฿633

-48.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 SEK 19.71

$1.78 ฿58.1

18.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.48

$2.71 ฿88.6

-38.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 SEK 26.39

$1.37 ฿44.79

106.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 SEK 804

$11.39 ฿372

656.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 SEK 67.6

$3.02 ฿98.6

140.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 SEK 14.53

$0.99 ฿32.48

57.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.6 SEK 491

$14.10 ฿461

273.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 18.19

$1.36 ฿44.51

43.38%

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

$27.5K SEK 256.4K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-2.58%

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

$28.1K SEK 262.2K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-14.58%

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

$118 SEK 1,104

$122 ฿3,975

-2.76%

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

$28.08 SEK 262

$13.57 ฿443

106.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.58 SEK 285

$18.31 ฿598

67.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.43 SEK 275

$60.2 ฿1,967

-51.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.57 SEK 145

$17.14 ฿560

-9.16%

Cinema Ticket

$14.22 SEK 133

$8.69 ฿284

63.64%

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

$145 SEK 1,357

$693 ฿22.6K

-79.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,155 SEK 38.8K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-73.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 SEK 595

$59.5 ฿1,944

7.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.69 SEK 193

$34.77 ฿1,136

-40.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 SEK 560

$115 ฿3,743

-47.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 SEK 723

$83.3 ฿2,720

-7.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 SEK 8,760

$613 ฿20.0K

53.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$795 SEK 7,421

$437 ฿14.3K

81.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 SEK 13.0K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-33.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SEK 11.0K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-21.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,304 SEK 40.2K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

14.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,931 SEK 27.4K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

12.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,061 SEK 28.6K

$508 ฿16.6K

502.43%

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 Kalmar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $939 in Kalmar versus $613 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 502% higher in Kalmar, 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 $74.0 in Kalmar versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $293 – 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

Kalmar vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,862 in Kalmar, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 47% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,793 per month in Kalmar and $1,898 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.

Kindergarten costs $145 per month in Kalmar and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Kalmar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Kalmar at $1,862. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kalmar 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 $1,265 in Phuket to $1,862 in Kalmar. 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, Kalmar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.