Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlskrona and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlskrona and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,727 per month in Karlskrona vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,601 per month in Karlskrona vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,475 per month in Karlskrona vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Karlskrona costs about 38% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Karlskrona sits 29% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.17 SEK 127

$4.55 ฿153

189.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 SEK 652

$46.18 ฿1,554

46.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 SEK 89.7

$8.84 ฿298

4.98%

Cappuccino

$3.94 SEK 38.10

$3.06 ฿103

28.76%

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

$1.45 SEK 14.04

$0.73 ฿24.42

98.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 24.29

$0.40 ฿13.40

527.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.47 SEK 72.2

$2.43 ฿81.8

207.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 SEK 52.0

$3.78 ฿127

42.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 SEK 14.67

$2.26 ฿76.0

-32.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 SEK 27.24

$1.81 ฿60.9

55.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.00 SEK 38.63

$2.25 ฿75.8

77.78%

Eggs

$3.94 SEK 38.05

$2.25 ฿75.6

75.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 SEK 112

$19.51 ฿656

-40.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.68 SEK 113

$3.65 ฿123

220.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.98 SEK 154

$13.05 ฿439

22.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 SEK 30.03

$3.23 ฿109

-3.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 SEK 24.46

$1.62 ฿54.4

56.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 SEK 29.36

$2.38 ฿80.2

27.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 SEK 45.24

$2.03 ฿68.2

130.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 SEK 14.48

$1.53 ฿51.6

-1.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 15.06

$1.50 ฿50.5

4.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 SEK 21.34

$0.98 ฿32.93

125.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SEK 14.17

$0.52 ฿17.40

182.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.16 SEK 69.2

$4.44 ฿149

61.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 SEK 124

$18.32 ฿616

-29.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SEK 19.55

$1.86 ฿62.7

8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SEK 17.30

$2.68 ฿90.2

-33.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 SEK 28.35

$1.41 ฿47.49

107.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 SEK 630

$11.70 ฿394

457.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.39 SEK 139

$3.11 ฿105

362.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.36

$1.04 ฿35.08

52.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.13 SEK 204

$14.11 ฿475

49.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 SEK 18.74

$1.31 ฿44.13

48.09%

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

$33.0K SEK 319.2K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

18.73%

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

$34.5K SEK 333.4K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

3.84%

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

$53.1 SEK 513

$122 ฿4,120

-56.62%

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

$28.35 SEK 274

$13.59 ฿457

108.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.07 SEK 358

$18.70 ฿629

98.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.47 SEK 430

$60.5 ฿2,035

-26.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.19 SEK 234

$16.98 ฿572

42.46%

Cinema Ticket

$17.06 SEK 165

$9.07 ฿305

88.09%

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

$142 SEK 1,375

$706 ฿23.8K

-79.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$745 SEK 7,205

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-95.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 1,002

$58.6 ฿1,970

76.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.05 SEK 204

$35.36 ฿1,190

-40.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 SEK 807

$115 ฿3,885

-27.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 SEK 1,498

$83.7 ฿2,818

85.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 SEK 6,813

$626 ฿21.1K

12.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 SEK 6,688

$445 ฿15.0K

55.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 SEK 11.1K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-43.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$998 SEK 9,647

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-33.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,021 SEK 29.2K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-13.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,550 SEK 24.6K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-1.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 SEK 24.2K

$500 ฿16.8K

400.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.7

5.33

-11.82%

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

Last update for Karlskrona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Karlskrona versus $626 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 400% higher in Karlskrona, 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 $67.0 in Karlskrona versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $289 – 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

Karlskrona vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Karlskrona is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,591 per month in Karlskrona and $1,875 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Karlskrona and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,727 in Karlskrona and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Karlskrona at $1,727. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karlskrona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Karlskrona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.