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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,609 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $2,497 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $3,386 in Bålsta.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 22% less than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Bålsta is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$12.92 SEK 125

-64.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$67.5 SEK 653

-31.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$9.24 SEK 89.5

-4.33%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$4.15 SEK 40.17

-26.27%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$2.78 SEK 26.96

-73.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$2.38 SEK 23.03

-83.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$7.53 SEK 72.9

-67.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$7.42 SEK 71.8

-49.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.60 SEK 15.51

41.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.13 SEK 20.60

-15.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$3.79 SEK 36.72

-40.63%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$3.86 SEK 37.36

-41.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$11.70 SEK 113

66.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$11.82 SEK 114

-69.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$11.43 SEK 111

14.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.57 SEK 24.91

25.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.69 SEK 26.04

-39.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.34 SEK 22.66

1.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$3.01 SEK 29.17

-32.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.57 SEK 15.18

-2.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.30 SEK 12.63

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.56 SEK 15.11

-37.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.07 SEK 10.36

-51.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$7.57 SEK 73.3

-41.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$10.24 SEK 99.1

78.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.60 SEK 15.48

16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.92 SEK 18.55

39.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$3.28 SEK 31.76

-57.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$74.9 SEK 725

-84.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$6.39 SEK 61.8

-51.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.22 SEK 11.84

-14.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$81.6 SEK 790

-82.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.93 SEK 18.72

-32.12%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$32.8K SEK 317.3K

-15.13%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$34.7K SEK 336.4K

-4.41%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$52.0 SEK 504

135.28%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$21.11 SEK 204

-35.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$36.55 SEK 354

-48.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$40.47 SEK 392

49.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$24.85 SEK 241

-31.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$13.65 SEK 132

-33.55%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$128 SEK 1,243

450.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$734 SEK 7,102

2054.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$74.9 SEK 726

-21.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$10.69 SEK 104

230.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$85.1 SEK 824

35.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$115 SEK 1,111

-27.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$824 SEK 7,975

-24.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$663 SEK 6,418

-32.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,372 SEK 13.3K

48.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,065 SEK 10.3K

40.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$3,802 SEK 36.8K

-8.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$3,106 SEK 30.1K

-17.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$3,963 SEK 38.4K

-87.39%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $824 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 693% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $67.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 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 29% 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, salaries run 693% lower in Bålsta. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $824 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $1,609 in Bålsta – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 540% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,609 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 $1,250 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 29% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.