Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bålsta Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bålsta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,640 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,500 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,359 in Bålsta.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 23% less than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Bålsta is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$13.33 SEK 124

-64.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$68.3 SEK 637

-33.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$9.44 SEK 88.1

-10.70%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$4.10 SEK 38.27

-28.54%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$2.78 SEK 25.92

-75.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$2.40 SEK 22.43

-84.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$7.35 SEK 68.6

-67.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$7.51 SEK 70.1

-50.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.62 SEK 15.16

37.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$2.08 SEK 19.41

-12.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$3.79 SEK 35.36

-42.74%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.91 SEK 36.51

-43.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.38 SEK 106

73.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$11.86 SEK 111

-69.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$11.38 SEK 106

18.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.72 SEK 25.37

20.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.65 SEK 24.76

-39.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.38 SEK 22.20

1.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.92 SEK 27.27

-28.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.56 SEK 14.56

-1.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.30 SEK 12.14

13.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.60 SEK 14.97

-38.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.04 SEK 9.68

-50.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$7.52 SEK 70.2

-41.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$10.83 SEK 101

78.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.55 SEK 14.49

14.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.95 SEK 18.23

38.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$3.41 SEK 31.82

-59.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$73.0 SEK 681

-84.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$6.20 SEK 57.9

-51.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.19 SEK 11.14

-16.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$81.6 SEK 761

-82.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.93 SEK 18.05

-29.53%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$32.0K SEK 298.3K

-11.77%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$34.4K SEK 320.8K

-4.31%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$53.1 SEK 495

129.19%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$20.82 SEK 194

-34.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$36.89 SEK 344

-50.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$39.85 SEK 372

51.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$25.53 SEK 238

-32.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$13.50 SEK 126

-35.63%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$125 SEK 1,165

455.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$748 SEK 6,978

1997.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$75.3 SEK 703

-20.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$10.66 SEK 99.5

226.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$84.6 SEK 789

35.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$115 SEK 1,074

-27.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$842 SEK 7,860

-27.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$664 SEK 6,199

-34.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,413 SEK 13.2K

48.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,074 SEK 10.0K

40.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$4,129 SEK 38.5K

-9.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$2,918 SEK 27.2K

-10.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$4,120 SEK 38.4K

-87.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

77.67%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $842 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 711% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $68.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $309 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

Phuket vs Bålsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Bålsta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Bålsta earns 711% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $842 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,640 in Bålsta – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 541% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,640 in Bålsta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Bålsta. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Bålsta 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 30% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.