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: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,626 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $2,567 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $3,507 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 9% below, Bålsta is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$14.20 SEK 136

-67.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$68.1 SEK 652

-52.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$9.12 SEK 87.3

-2.41%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$4.32 SEK 41.34

-35.19%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$2.79 SEK 26.66

-68.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$2.29 SEK 21.90

-78.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$7.26 SEK 69.4

-67.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$7.36 SEK 70.4

-49.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$1.55 SEK 14.83

15.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$2.05 SEK 19.62

-29.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$3.70 SEK 35.43

-57.30%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$3.81 SEK 36.41

-44.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$11.69 SEK 112

70.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$12.50 SEK 120

-72.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$11.46 SEK 110

-1.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$2.69 SEK 25.74

9.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$2.80 SEK 26.79

-38.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$2.15 SEK 20.54

7.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$2.97 SEK 28.38

-29.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$1.54 SEK 14.75

-4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.28 SEK 12.24

6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$1.62 SEK 15.50

-32.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$1.07 SEK 10.24

-46.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$7.27 SEK 69.6

-41.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$10.58 SEK 101

74.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.55 SEK 14.84

20.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$2.08 SEK 19.86

40.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$3.47 SEK 33.16

-36.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$80.2 SEK 767

-71.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$6.04 SEK 57.8

-49.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$1.60 SEK 15.34

-33.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$83.0 SEK 794

-95.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.84 SEK 17.65

-19.02%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$35.4K SEK 338.5K

-23.33%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$34.3K SEK 327.9K

-19.91%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$53.6 SEK 513

91.72%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$21.09 SEK 202

-47.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$41.49 SEK 397

-57.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$39.72 SEK 380

34.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$26.61 SEK 255

-57.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$13.50 SEK 129

-44.59%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$127 SEK 1,213

339.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$5,225 SEK 50.0K

126.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$73.2 SEK 700

-12.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$10.59 SEK 101

174.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$84.1 SEK 804

14.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$115 SEK 1,103

-21.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$856 SEK 8,185

-14.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$626 SEK 5,992

-20.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$1,390 SEK 13.3K

50.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$1,066 SEK 10.2K

13.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$4,199 SEK 40.2K

-14.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$2,939 SEK 28.1K

-14.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$4,069 SEK 38.9K

-87.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

85.67%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $856 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 708% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $68.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $311 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, salaries run 708% 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: $730 in Phuket versus $856 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,253 per month in Phuket versus $1,626 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 250% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,626 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 $1,253 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.