Cost of Living Comparison Between Ostersund and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ostersund and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,853 in Ostersund versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,860 in Ostersund versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,867 in Ostersund versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Ostersund is roughly 50% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ostersund is 38% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.21 SEK 122

$4.63 ฿151

185.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 SEK 683

$46.84 ฿1,523

57.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 SEK 98.3

$8.84 ฿287

19.91%

Cappuccino

$4.50 SEK 41.74

$3.00 ฿97.4

50.00%

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

$2.79 SEK 25.84

$0.74 ฿24.11

277.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.08

$0.37 ฿11.88

572.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 SEK 72.8

$2.44 ฿79.3

221.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 SEK 68.8

$3.61 ฿117

105.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 14.23

$2.26 ฿73.5

-32.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 SEK 28.58

$1.84 ฿59.8

67.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.10 SEK 47.32

$2.24 ฿73.0

127.68%

Eggs

$3.61 SEK 33.51

$2.32 ฿75.3

55.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.49 SEK 134

$19.67 ฿639

-26.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.74 SEK 109

$3.65 ฿119

221.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.97 SEK 148

$13.10 ฿426

21.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 SEK 42.10

$3.39 ฿110

33.92%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 SEK 27.80

$1.64 ฿53.4

82.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 SEK 34.54

$2.41 ฿78.5

54.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 SEK 38.88

$2.03 ฿66.0

106.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 SEK 34.36

$1.56 ฿50.6

137.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 SEK 17.12

$1.50 ฿48.66

23.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 SEK 24.36

$1.02 ฿33.30

157.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SEK 14.14

$0.49 ฿15.91

212.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.20 SEK 76.0

$4.45 ฿145

84.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.06 SEK 103

$18.88 ฿614

-41.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 18.23

$1.78 ฿57.7

10.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SEK 18.04

$2.75 ฿89.5

-29.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 SEK 30.43

$1.40 ฿45.54

134.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.6 SEK 692

$11.48 ฿373

550.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 SEK 56.7

$3.12 ฿101

96.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 SEK 15.44

$1.00 ฿32.48

67.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.5 SEK 570

$14.09 ฿458

336.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 SEK 19.38

$1.35 ฿43.93

54.81%

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

$32.8K SEK 303.6K

$27.2K ฿883.7K

20.50%

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

$34.4K SEK 318.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

4.47%

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

$115 SEK 1,062

$125 ฿4,063

-8.34%

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

$28.51 SEK 264

$13.57 ฿441

110.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.11 SEK 344

$18.52 ฿602

100.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.73 SEK 368

$61.5 ฿1,999

-35.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.92 SEK 231

$16.84 ฿547

47.98%

Cinema Ticket

$15.69 SEK 145

$9.19 ฿299

70.73%

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

$129 SEK 1,198

$698 ฿22.7K

-81.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,151 SEK 38.5K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-73.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 SEK 875

$57.8 ฿1,878

63.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.27 SEK 383

$35.24 ฿1,146

17.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 SEK 885

$113 ฿3,677

-15.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 SEK 1,414

$86.4 ฿2,808

76.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 SEK 7,690

$616 ฿20.0K

34.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 SEK 5,993

$446 ฿14.5K

44.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,420 SEK 13.2K

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-30.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 SEK 9,840

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-28.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,517 SEK 41.9K

$3,779 ฿122.8K

19.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,965 SEK 27.5K

$2,649 ฿86.1K

11.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

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 Ostersund: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $830 in Ostersund and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Ostersund vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $292 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

Ostersund vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,780 in Ostersund and $1,847 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $830 in Ostersund versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,853 per month in Ostersund versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 550% less than in Ostersund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,853 in Ostersund, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ostersund. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ostersund, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ostersund 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Ostersund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.