Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jakobstad Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jakobstad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,689 in Jakobstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,538 in Jakobstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $3,387 in Jakobstad.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 25% less than in Jakobstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Jakobstad is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$13.64 €11.75

-66.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$85.7 €73.8

-45.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$11.35 €9.78

-25.37%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$4.18 €3.60

-27.51%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$2.81 €2.42

-75.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.74 €1.50

-78.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$7.49 €6.45

-66.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$8.37 €7.21

-56.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.40 €1.21

55.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$2.93 €2.53

-35.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$2.32 €2.00

-5.17%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.35 €2.89

-33.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$8.45 €7.28

136.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$14.84 €12.78

-75.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$22.71 €19.57

-41.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.70 €2.33

19.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.16 €1.86

-21.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.77 €2.38

-13.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$3.82 €3.29

-45.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.42 €1.23

11.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.00 €1.72

-26.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$3.10 €2.67

-66.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.99 €1.71

-73.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$11.64 €10.03

-63.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$16.35 €14.09

14.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$3.25 €2.80

-45.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$3.45 €2.97

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$3.45 €2.97

-60.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$65.4 €56.4

-82.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$6.99 €6.02

-55.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.28 €1.10

-18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$55.3 €47.65

-75.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$2.16 €1.87

-37.96%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$36.6K €31.5K

-24.35%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$39.1K €33.7K

-13.44%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$84.6 €72.9

46.12%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$30.31 €26.12

-55.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$24.66 €21.25

-24.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$44.51 €38.35

38.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$24.68 €21.26

-30.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$18.87 €16.26

-51.56%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$321 €277

118.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$7,995 €6,889

98.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$87.0 €75.0

-31.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$42.46 €36.58

-17.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$112 €96.3

3.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$154 €133

-45.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$487 €419

27.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$533 €459

-18.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$899 €775

129.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$644 €555

134.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$4,188 €3,608

-12.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$2,195 €1,891

19.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$2,288 €1,971

-77.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

1.4

280.71%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Jakobstad: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $487 in Jakobstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jakobstad pays 351% 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 $86.0 in Jakobstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $391 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 Jakobstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Jakobstad differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,689 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Jakobstad earns 351% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $487 in Jakobstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 476% less than in Jakobstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $321 in Jakobstad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,689 in Jakobstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Jakobstad. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Jakobstad 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 34% less than in Jakobstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.