Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and BรฅlstaCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bรฅlsta
Monthly Cost of Living
๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,640 in Bรฅlsta.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,500 in Bรฅlsta.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,359 in Bรฅlsta.
๐Living in Phuket costs roughly 23% less than in Bรฅlsta, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Bรฅlsta is 22% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Bรฅlsta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70เธฟ153
$13.33SEKย 124
-64.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37เธฟ1,482
$68.3SEKย 637
-33.55%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43เธฟ275
$9.44SEKย 88.1
-10.70%
Cappuccino
$2.93เธฟ95.6
$4.10SEKย 38.27
-28.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69เธฟ22.40
$2.78SEKย 25.92
-75.18%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37เธฟ11.99
$2.40SEKย 22.43
-84.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41เธฟ78.6
$7.35SEKย 68.6
-67.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72เธฟ122
$7.51SEKย 70.1
-50.47%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Bรฅlsta
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23เธฟ72.9
$1.62SEKย 15.16
37.65%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83เธฟ59.8
$2.08SEKย 19.41
-12.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17เธฟ70.8
$3.79SEKย 35.36
-42.74%
Eggs
$2.21เธฟ72.3
$3.91SEKย 36.51
-43.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74เธฟ645
$11.38SEKย 106
73.46%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63เธฟ119
$11.86SEKย 111
-69.39%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53เธฟ442
$11.38SEKย 106
18.89%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28เธฟ107
$2.72SEKย 25.37
20.59%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61เธฟ52.6
$2.65SEKย 24.76
-39.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41เธฟ78.6
$2.38SEKย 22.20
1.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08เธฟ68.1
$2.92SEKย 27.27
-28.77%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53เธฟ49.93
$1.56SEKย 14.56
-1.92%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48เธฟ48.36
$1.30SEKย 12.14
13.85%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99เธฟ32.29
$1.60SEKย 14.97
-38.13%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51เธฟ16.67
$1.04SEKย 9.68
-50.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41เธฟ144
$7.52SEKย 70.2
-41.36%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38เธฟ633
$10.83SEKย 101
78.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78เธฟ58.1
$1.55SEKย 14.49
14.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71เธฟ88.6
$1.95SEKย 18.23
38.97%
๐ Getting Around
Phuket
Bรฅlsta
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37เธฟ44.79
$3.41SEKย 31.82
-59.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39เธฟ372
$73.0SEKย 681
-84.40%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02เธฟ98.6
$6.20SEKย 57.9
-51.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99เธฟ32.48
$1.19SEKย 11.14
-16.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10เธฟ461
$81.6SEKย 761
-82.72%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36เธฟ44.51
$1.93SEKย 18.05
-29.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2Kเธฟ921.1K
$32.0KSEKย 298.3K
-11.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kเธฟ1.1M
$34.4KSEKย 320.8K
-4.31%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Bรฅlsta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122เธฟ3,975
$53.1SEKย 495
129.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57เธฟ443
$20.82SEKย 194
-34.82%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31เธฟ598
$36.89SEKย 344
-50.37%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Bรฅlsta
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2เธฟ1,967
$39.85SEKย 372
51.12%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14เธฟ560
$25.53SEKย 238
-32.86%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69เธฟ284
$13.50SEKย 126
-35.63%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Bรฅlsta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693เธฟ22.6K
$125SEKย 1,165
455.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7Kเธฟ512.3K
$748SEKย 6,978
1997.63%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Bรฅlsta
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5เธฟ1,944
$75.3SEKย 703
-20.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77เธฟ1,136
$10.66SEKย 99.5
226.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115เธฟ3,743
$84.6SEKย 789
35.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3เธฟ2,720
$115SEKย 1,074
-27.61%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Bรฅlsta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613เธฟ20.0K
$842SEKย 7,860
-27.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437เธฟ14.3K
$664SEKย 6,199
-34.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094เธฟ68.4K
$1,413SEKย 13.2K
48.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509เธฟ49.3K
$1,074SEKย 10.0K
40.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749เธฟ122.5K
$4,129SEKย 38.5K
-9.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616เธฟ85.4K
$2,918SEKย 27.2K
-10.35%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Bรฅlsta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508เธฟ16.6K
$4,120SEKย 38.4K
-87.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
3
77.67%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Bรฅlsta: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $842 in Bรฅlsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐBรฅlsta 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.
๐Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $68.0 in Bรฅlsta 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 Bรฅlsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Bรฅlsta?
Phuket wins on cost โ living expenses run 30% lower than in Bรฅlsta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or Bรฅlsta?
On paper, Bรฅlsta 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Bรฅlsta?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $842 in Bรฅlsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Bรฅlsta?
All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,640 in Bรฅlsta โ a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Phuket vs Bรฅlsta?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 541% less than in Bรฅlsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Bรฅlsta?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,640 in Bรฅlsta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Bรฅlsta. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Bรฅlsta?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value โ 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.
How safe is Phuket compared to Bรฅlsta?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Bรฅlsta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 30% less than in Bรฅlsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.