Cost of Living Comparison Between Kista and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kista and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,797 per month in Kista vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,818 per month in Kista vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,838 per month in Kista vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Kista costs about 42% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kista sits 34% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.28 SEK 125

$4.56 ฿149

191.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 SEK 689

$46.63 ฿1,519

57.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 SEK 97.7

$8.47 ฿276

22.90%

Cappuccino

$4.74 SEK 44.50

$3.03 ฿98.6

56.44%

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

$2.78 SEK 26.06

$0.69 ฿22.45

302.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.58

$0.37 ฿11.92

551.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 SEK 74.2

$2.49 ฿81.0

217.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.58 SEK 71.1

$3.66 ฿119

107.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 15.21

$2.18 ฿71.0

-25.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 SEK 26.51

$1.90 ฿62.0

48.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.88 SEK 36.42

$2.20 ฿71.6

76.36%

Eggs

$4.26 SEK 39.96

$2.22 ฿72.4

91.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 SEK 114

$19.99 ฿651

-39.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.89 SEK 112

$3.66 ฿119

224.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.94 SEK 159

$13.25 ฿432

27.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 SEK 29.61

$3.23 ฿105

-2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.25

$1.70 ฿55.3

51.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 SEK 29.05

$2.39 ฿78.0

29.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 SEK 40.52

$2.08 ฿67.7

107.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 SEK 15.42

$1.59 ฿51.8

3.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 SEK 16.62

$1.48 ฿48.31

19.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 24.50

$1.03 ฿33.54

153.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SEK 14.32

$0.52 ฿16.83

194.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 68.5

$4.25 ฿138

71.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.33 SEK 87.5

$18.79 ฿612

-50.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 18.51

$1.76 ฿57.2

11.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SEK 18.41

$2.76 ฿89.8

-28.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 SEK 32.62

$1.36 ฿44.32

155.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 SEK 681

$11.36 ฿370

538.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 SEK 58.6

$3.14 ฿102

98.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.36

$1.04 ฿33.74

57.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.4 SEK 585

$13.77 ฿448

352.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 SEK 18.46

$1.34 ฿43.79

47.01%

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

$32.0K SEK 299.8K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

15.46%

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

$33.8K SEK 317.2K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-0.14%

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

$115 SEK 1,081

$124 ฿4,025

-6.75%

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

$28.56 SEK 268

$13.52 ฿440

111.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.92 SEK 346

$18.69 ฿609

97.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.61 SEK 381

$61.8 ฿2,013

-34.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.55 SEK 240

$17.25 ฿562

48.12%

Cinema Ticket

$16.03 SEK 150

$9.14 ฿298

75.38%

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

$149 SEK 1,401

$703 ฿22.9K

-78.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,113 SEK 38.6K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-74.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.3 SEK 884

$59.5 ฿1,937

58.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.09 SEK 376

$35.07 ฿1,142

14.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 SEK 899

$115 ฿3,754

-16.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 SEK 1,440

$84.1 ฿2,737

82.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 SEK 7,807

$619 ฿20.1K

34.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 SEK 6,044

$433 ฿14.1K

48.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 SEK 13.1K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-32.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 SEK 10.0K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-29.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,549 SEK 42.7K

$3,646 ฿118.7K

24.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,994 SEK 28.1K

$2,626 ฿85.5K

14.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

5.33

-15.01%

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

Last update for Kista: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $832 in Kista 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Kista versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 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

Kista vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kista costs about 42% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,696 per month in Kista 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,797 in Kista and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 539% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Kista at $1,797. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kista it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,261 versus $1,797 in Kista. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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