๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,748 in Nykรถping versus $1,261 in Phuket.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,714 in Nykรถping versus $2,286 in Phuket.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,680 in Nykรถping versus $3,310 in Phuket.
๐Living in Nykรถping is roughly 39% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Nykรถping is 30% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Nykรถping
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.30SEKย 96.7
$4.56เธฟ149
125.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.7SEKย 701
$46.63เธฟ1,519
60.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.66SEKย 100
$8.47เธฟ276
25.86%
Cappuccino
$4.55SEKย 42.71
$3.03เธฟ98.6
50.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68SEKย 25.13
$0.69เธฟ22.45
288.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37SEKย 22.22
$0.37เธฟ11.92
540.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.74SEKย 72.6
$2.49เธฟ81.0
210.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.52SEKย 70.6
$3.66เธฟ119
105.46%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Nykรถping
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62SEKย 15.22
$2.18เธฟ71.0
-25.69%
White Bread(500g)
$2.75SEKย 25.77
$1.90เธฟ62.0
44.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.78SEKย 35.50
$2.20เธฟ71.6
71.82%
Eggs
$4.05SEKย 37.95
$2.22เธฟ72.4
82.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.81SEKย 111
$19.99เธฟ651
-40.92%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.65SEKย 109
$3.66เธฟ119
218.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.91SEKย 159
$13.25เธฟ432
27.62%
Apples(1kg)
$2.30SEKย 21.56
$3.23เธฟ105
-28.79%
Banana(1kg)
$2.59SEKย 24.31
$1.70เธฟ55.3
52.35%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.98SEKย 28.00
$2.39เธฟ78.0
24.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.37SEKย 41.01
$2.08เธฟ67.7
110.10%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59SEKย 14.91
$1.59เธฟ51.8
-
Onion(1kg)
$1.86SEKย 17.48
$1.48เธฟ48.31
25.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13SEKย 10.64
$1.03เธฟ33.54
9.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.40SEKย 13.17
$0.52เธฟ16.83
169.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.57SEKย 71.0
$4.25เธฟ138
78.12%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.27SEKย 86.9
$18.79เธฟ612
-50.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98SEKย 18.55
$1.76เธฟ57.2
12.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97SEKย 18.49
$2.76เธฟ89.8
-28.62%
๐ Getting Around
Nykรถping
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.45SEKย 32.37
$1.36เธฟ44.32
153.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$48.59SEKย 456
$11.36เธฟ370
327.73%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.13SEKย 57.5
$3.14เธฟ102
95.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.59SEKย 14.89
$1.04เธฟ33.74
52.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$61.1SEKย 573
$13.77เธฟ448
343.43%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.03SEKย 19.08
$1.34เธฟ43.79
51.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7KSEKย 306.9K
$27.7Kเธฟ901.4K
18.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8KSEKย 317.1K
$33.9Kเธฟ1.1M
-0.18%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nykรถping
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$114SEKย 1,065
$124เธฟ4,025
-8.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.51SEKย 267
$13.52เธฟ440
110.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.79SEKย 223
$18.69เธฟ609
27.29%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Nykรถping
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.38SEKย 369
$61.8เธฟ2,013
-36.30%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.06SEKย 235
$17.25เธฟ562
45.28%
Cinema Ticket
$15.99SEKย 150
$9.14เธฟ298
74.95%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Nykรถping
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$145SEKย 1,364
$703เธฟ22.9K
-79.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,215SEKย 39.5K
$15.9Kเธฟ517.0K
-73.44%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Nykรถping
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.1SEKย 892
$59.5เธฟ1,937
60.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.09SEKย 385
$35.07เธฟ1,142
17.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$97.9SEKย 918
$115เธฟ3,754
-15.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$150SEKย 1,412
$84.1เธฟ2,737
79.04%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Nykรถping
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$828SEKย 7,770
$619เธฟ20.1K
33.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$646SEKย 6,059
$433เธฟ14.1K
49.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,368SEKย 12.8K
$2,062เธฟ67.2K
-33.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,065SEKย 9,990
$1,511เธฟ49.2K
-29.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,500SEKย 42.2K
$3,646เธฟ118.7K
23.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,118SEKย 29.2K
$2,626เธฟ85.5K
18.74%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Nykรถping
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,612SEKย 24.5K
$507เธฟ16.5K
415.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.53
5.33
-15.01%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Nykรถping: June 9, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $828 in Nykรถping and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐNykรถping pays 415% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
๐Dining out: $75.0 in Nykรถping vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $293 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
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
Nykรถping vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Nykรถping and Phuket?
Nykรถping and Phuket differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,748 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable โ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Nykรถping or Phuket?
Nykรถping pays 415% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Nykรถping and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $828 in Nykรถping versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nykรถping and Phuket?
Childcare runs $145 in Nykรถping versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Nykรถping. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,748 in Nykรถping, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Nykรถping. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Nykรถping and Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Nykรถping or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Nykรถping and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Nykรถping or Phuket?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 39% less than in Nykรถping. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.