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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,779 per month in Karlstad vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,685 per month in Karlstad vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,592 per month in Karlstad vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Karlstad costs about 41% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Karlstad sits 34% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.58 SEK 148

$4.48 ฿150

247.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 SEK 655

$45.59 ฿1,521

51.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 SEK 104

$8.76 ฿292

25.23%

Cappuccino

$4.83 SEK 45.88

$2.97 ฿99.0

62.63%

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

$2.58 SEK 24.54

$0.69 ฿22.90

273.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 SEK 20.98

$0.39 ฿13.04

466.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.25 SEK 78.4

$2.53 ฿84.4

226.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.26 SEK 78.5

$3.75 ฿125

120.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 SEK 13.17

$2.15 ฿71.6

-35.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 SEK 27.01

$1.82 ฿60.6

56.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.87 SEK 36.72

$2.18 ฿72.9

77.52%

Eggs

$4.78 SEK 45.44

$2.25 ฿75.0

112.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.16 SEK 116

$20.00 ฿667

-39.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.28 SEK 136

$3.63 ฿121

293.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.93 SEK 161

$13.56 ฿452

24.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 SEK 28.28

$3.24 ฿108

-8.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 SEK 24.21

$1.64 ฿54.6

55.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 SEK 30.95

$2.33 ฿77.8

39.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 SEK 48.24

$2.07 ฿69.1

145.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 SEK 15.68

$1.55 ฿51.6

6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 SEK 16.87

$1.46 ฿48.54

21.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 SEK 25.58

$0.98 ฿32.86

174.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 SEK 12.36

$0.48 ฿16.09

170.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 69.4

$4.35 ฿145

67.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 SEK 98.1

$18.57 ฿620

-44.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SEK 16.62

$1.86 ฿61.9

-5.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SEK 16.16

$2.65 ฿88.6

-35.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 SEK 31.18

$1.42 ฿47.28

130.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.6 SEK 794

$11.57 ฿386

622.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 SEK 55.3

$3.17 ฿106

83.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 SEK 12.75

$1.03 ฿34.41

30.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.1 SEK 619

$13.89 ฿463

368.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 SEK 18.45

$1.34 ฿44.84

44.78%

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

$33.1K SEK 314.9K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

19.26%

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

$34.6K SEK 328.2K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

3.50%

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

$104 SEK 992

$123 ฿4,105

-15.14%

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

$29.68 SEK 282

$13.77 ฿459

115.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 SEK 406

$18.33 ฿611

132.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.46 SEK 441

$60.7 ฿2,025

-23.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.05 SEK 162

$17.16 ฿573

-0.64%

Cinema Ticket

$14.44 SEK 137

$8.87 ฿296

62.80%

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

$150 SEK 1,422

$688 ฿22.9K

-78.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,150 SEK 29.9K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-80.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 SEK 837

$59.3 ฿1,978

48.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.71 SEK 396

$34.69 ฿1,157

20.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 SEK 790

$115 ฿3,843

-27.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 SEK 1,401

$83.8 ฿2,794

76.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 SEK 10.0K

$621 ฿20.7K

69.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 SEK 5,599

$446 ฿14.9K

32.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,245 SEK 11.8K

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-38.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 SEK 8,604

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-39.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 SEK 29.9K

$494 ฿16.5K

537.67%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,056 in Karlstad versus $621 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 538% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $291 – 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 41%, 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 $2,668 per month in Karlstad and $1,896 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 $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 $1,779 in Karlstad and $1,264 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 $1,264, than in Karlstad at $1,779. 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.