Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Boras Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Boras

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $2,004 in Boras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $2,800 in Boras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $3,597 in Boras.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 39% less than in Boras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Boras is 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$12.61 SEK 118

-64.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$71.0 SEK 664

-34.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$10.65 SEK 99.6

-20.28%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$4.60 SEK 42.99

-33.04%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$2.19 SEK 20.47

-68.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$2.05 SEK 19.20

-82.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$7.79 SEK 72.8

-68.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$7.27 SEK 68.1

-50.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.60 SEK 15.01

36.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$2.25 SEK 21.01

-19.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$3.05 SEK 28.55

-26.89%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$4.56 SEK 42.65

-50.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$13.15 SEK 123

49.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$11.79 SEK 110

-68.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$17.21 SEK 161

-21.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.80 SEK 26.21

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$2.83 SEK 26.49

-42.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$2.67 SEK 25.01

-9.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$3.74 SEK 34.96

-46.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.55 SEK 14.47

-1.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.55 SEK 14.48

-6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.46 SEK 13.69

-30.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.54 SEK 14.40

-68.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$8.12 SEK 75.9

-47.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$9.21 SEK 86.2

107.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$2.04 SEK 19.09

-9.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$1.72 SEK 16.07

59.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$3.75 SEK 35.07

-62.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$86.4 SEK 808

-86.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$6.19 SEK 58.0

-51.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.88 SEK 17.58

-44.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$65.1 SEK 609

-78.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.95 SEK 18.21

-33.85%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$26.6K SEK 248.9K

5.35%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$25.1K SEK 234.9K

33.43%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$74.5 SEK 696

63.84%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$28.84 SEK 270

-51.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$27.68 SEK 259

-31.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$34.43 SEK 322

77.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$24.31 SEK 227

-30.73%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$16.01 SEK 150

-44.47%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$159 SEK 1,488

334.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$4,133 SEK 38.7K

291.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$79.2 SEK 741

-27.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$39.63 SEK 371

-10.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$94.5 SEK 884

19.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$108 SEK 1,011

-23.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$840 SEK 7,862

-27.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$900 SEK 8,419

-50.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$1,411 SEK 13.2K

43.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$1,101 SEK 10.3K

35.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$4,389 SEK 41.1K

-18.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$3,053 SEK 28.6K

-15.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$2,529 SEK 23.7K

-80.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.8

11.04%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Boras: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $840 in Boras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boras pays 401% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $71.0 in Boras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $343 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 Boras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Boras earns 401% 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: $607 in Phuket versus $840 in Boras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $2,004 in Boras – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 637% less than in Boras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,223 in Phuket versus $2,004 in Boras, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Boras. 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 Boras, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Boras 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 64% less than in Boras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.