Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlstad and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlstad and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,739 per month in Karlstad vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,699 per month in Karlstad vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,658 per month in Karlstad vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.95 SEK 150

$4.56 ฿149

249.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 SEK 645

$46.63 ฿1,519

47.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 SEK 105

$8.47 ฿276

31.88%

Cappuccino

$4.96 SEK 46.57

$3.03 ฿98.6

63.70%

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

$2.70 SEK 25.36

$0.69 ฿22.45

291.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 20.67

$0.37 ฿11.92

494.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.52 SEK 79.9

$2.49 ฿81.0

242.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.31 SEK 78.0

$3.66 ฿119

127.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 SEK 13.47

$2.18 ฿71.0

-33.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 SEK 27.11

$1.90 ฿62.0

52.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 SEK 36.78

$2.20 ฿71.6

78.18%

Eggs

$4.76 SEK 44.61

$2.22 ฿72.4

114.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 SEK 116

$19.99 ฿651

-38.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.25 SEK 134

$3.66 ฿119

289.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 SEK 160

$13.25 ฿432

28.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 SEK 28.05

$3.23 ฿105

-7.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.24

$1.70 ฿55.3

51.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SEK 30.32

$2.39 ฿78.0

35.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 SEK 47.62

$2.08 ฿67.7

144.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 14.82

$1.59 ฿51.8

-0.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 SEK 16.41

$1.48 ฿48.31

18.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 24.43

$1.03 ฿33.54

152.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 SEK 11.86

$0.52 ฿16.83

142.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SEK 68.4

$4.25 ฿138

71.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 SEK 100

$18.79 ฿612

-43.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.33

$1.76 ฿57.2

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SEK 15.85

$2.76 ฿89.8

-38.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 SEK 30.06

$1.36 ฿44.32

135.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.3 SEK 800

$11.36 ฿370

650.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.74 SEK 53.9

$3.14 ฿102

82.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 SEK 12.62

$1.04 ฿33.74

28.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.6 SEK 606

$13.77 ฿448

368.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.65

$1.34 ฿43.79

48.51%

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

$32.0K SEK 300.0K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

15.55%

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

$34.4K SEK 322.5K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

1.54%

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

$104 SEK 979

$124 ฿4,025

-15.54%

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

$29.36 SEK 275

$13.52 ฿440

117.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.62 SEK 409

$18.69 ฿609

133.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.21 SEK 433

$61.8 ฿2,013

-25.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 SEK 162

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 SEK 134

$9.14 ฿298

56.02%

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

$146 SEK 1,374

$703 ฿22.9K

-79.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,179 SEK 29.8K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-79.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 SEK 811

$59.5 ฿1,937

45.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.41 SEK 388

$35.07 ฿1,142

18.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 SEK 775

$115 ฿3,754

-28.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 SEK 1,386

$84.1 ฿2,737

75.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 SEK 9,987

$619 ฿20.1K

72.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 SEK 5,365

$433 ฿14.1K

32.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 SEK 11.4K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-41.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 SEK 8,512

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-39.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,261 SEK 30.6K

$507 ฿16.5K

543.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

5.33

-9.94%

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

Last update for Karlstad: June 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,065 in Karlstad 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 543% higher in Karlstad, 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 $69.0 in Karlstad versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 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

Karlstad vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Karlstad 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 $2,609 per month in Karlstad and $1,892 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 $69.0 in Karlstad and $47.00 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 $1,739 in Karlstad and $1,261 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 $1,261, than in Karlstad at $1,739. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karlstad 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, Karlstad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.