Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlskrona and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,636 in Karlskrona, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Karlskrona, Sweden
Phuket, Thailand
Karlskrona
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,636
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karlskrona and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Karlskrona and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,636 per month in Karlskrona vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Karlskrona $1,636
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $2,545 per month in Karlskrona vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Karlskrona $2,545
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $3,453 per month in Karlskrona vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Karlskrona $3,453
  • Phuket $3,154

Karlskrona costs about 28% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Karlskrona sits 20% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Karlskrona
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.82 SEK 126
$4.47 ฿151
186.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 SEK 649
$32.41 ฿1,093
104.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 SEK 86.5
$8.81 ฿297
-
Cappuccino
$4.09 SEK 40.16
$2.83 ฿95.4
44.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 SEK 13.07
$0.87 ฿29.41
52.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 SEK 22.07
$0.49 ฿16.65
359.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.93 SEK 68.0
$2.56 ฿86.3
170.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.00 SEK 49.11
$3.68 ฿124
35.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Karlskrona
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 SEK 14.30
$1.66 ฿55.9
-12.05%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 SEK 26.21
$1.46 ฿49.31
82.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.66 SEK 35.96
$1.50 ฿50.5
144.00%
Eggs
$4.41 SEK 43.23
$2.09 ฿70.5
111.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.01 SEK 108
$19.07 ฿643
-42.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.05 SEK 128
$3.30 ฿111
295.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.37 SEK 171
$10.91 ฿368
59.21%
Apples (1kg)
$3.07 SEK 30.10
$2.93 ฿98.9
4.78%
Banana (1kg)
$2.32 SEK 22.73
$1.69 ฿57.0
37.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.03 SEK 29.78
$2.25 ฿75.8
34.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.40 SEK 43.20
$2.08 ฿70.0
111.54%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 SEK 14.67
$1.51 ฿51.0
-1.32%
Onion (1kg)
$1.49 SEK 14.67
$1.38 ฿46.52
7.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.18 SEK 21.37
$1.07 ฿35.96
103.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 SEK 13.98
$0.52 ฿17.51
173.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.99 SEK 68.6
$4.20 ฿142
66.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.80 SEK 126
$18.79 ฿634
-31.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 SEK 20.01
$1.82 ฿61.5
12.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 SEK 16.00
$2.84 ฿95.8
-42.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Karlskrona
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.94 SEK 28.84
$1.45 ฿48.98
102.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$70.8 SEK 694
$56.7 ฿1,912
24.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$13.17 SEK 129
$3.02 ฿102
336.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.06 SEK 20.26
$1.02 ฿34.33
101.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$80.5 SEK 789
$3.69 ฿125
2080.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 SEK 17.36
$1.47 ฿49.76
20.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7K SEK 321.0K
$26.8K ฿903.4K
22.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K SEK 326.1K
$26.7K ฿900.5K
24.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karlskrona
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$51.1 SEK 501
$96.4 ฿3,251
-46.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.03 SEK 275
$11.26 ฿380
148.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.39 SEK 357
$16.85 ฿568
115.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Karlskrona
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.03 SEK 403
$67.2 ฿2,268
-38.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.73 ฿362
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.13 SEK 158
$7.50 ฿253
115.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Karlskrona
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$160 SEK 1,573
$476 ฿16.1K
-66.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.3K ฿380.0K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Karlskrona
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.6 SEK 958
$62.4 ฿2,104
56.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$20.06 SEK 197
$28.41 ฿958
-29.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.6 SEK 781
$94.3 ฿3,181
-15.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$179 SEK 1,757
$85.8 ฿2,895
108.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Karlskrona
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$681 SEK 6,679
$716 ฿24.2K
-4.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$576 SEK 5,649
$491 ฿16.6K
17.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,097 SEK 10.8K
$1,927 ฿65.0K
-43.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$937 SEK 9,196
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-34.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,929 SEK 28.7K
$4,175 ฿140.9K
-29.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,526 SEK 24.8K
$3,045 ฿102.7K
-17.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Karlskrona
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,463 SEK 24.2K
$502 ฿16.9K
390.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.22
5.57
-24.24%

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

Last update for Karlskrona: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Karlskrona
$576
Phuket
$491 14.7% $85
Groceries & Markets
Karlskrona
$360
Phuket
$266 26% $93
Eating Out
Karlskrona
$237
Phuket
$122 48.7% $115
Clothing & Footwear
Karlskrona
$169
Phuket
$122 28% $47
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karlskrona
$116
Phuket
$124 7.7% $9
Getting Around
Karlskrona
$106
Phuket
$71 33.4% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Karlskrona
$73
Phuket
$82 12.2% $9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $681 in Karlskrona versus $716 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 in Karlskrona are about 4.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Karlskrona versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $266 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Karlskrona
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
20:18 8:18 PM
02:18 2:18 AM
6 h ahead of Karlskrona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
35,212
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 9.81 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 SEK (100 SEK = 9.13 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Karlskrona Phuket 8,830 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Karlskrona
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Karlskrona vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Karlskrona?
Yes – Karlskrona is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,455 per month in Karlskrona and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Karlskrona and Phuket?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $681 in Karlskrona and $716 in Phuket. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Is eating out cheaper in Karlskrona or in Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Karlskrona and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Karlskrona and in Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,636 in Karlskrona and $1,278 in Phuket. That makes Phuket about 22% cheaper.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Karlskrona or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Karlskrona at $1,636. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karlskrona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Karlskrona or in Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Phuket to $1,636 in Karlskrona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Karlskrona or Phuket?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Karlskrona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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