🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,817 in Jonkoping.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,860 in Jonkoping.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,902 in Jonkoping.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 30% less than in Jonkoping, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Jonkoping is 36% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$12.81SEK 120
-63.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,483
$87.1SEK 818
-47.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$12.13SEK 114
-30.50%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.7
$4.88SEK 45.82
-39.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.42
$1.86SEK 17.50
-62.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.00
$2.16SEK 20.25
-82.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.7
$7.93SEK 74.5
-69.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$7.31SEK 68.7
-49.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.0
$1.61SEK 15.09
38.51%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.9
$2.18SEK 20.46
-16.06%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.9
$3.03SEK 28.42
-28.38%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.4
$3.86SEK 36.27
-42.75%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$12.74SEK 120
54.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$11.42SEK 107
-68.21%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$16.97SEK 159
-20.27%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$3.34SEK 31.36
-1.80%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.7
$2.64SEK 24.81
-39.02%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.7
$2.77SEK 26.02
-13.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$4.45SEK 41.84
-53.26%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.97
$1.72SEK 16.17
-11.05%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.41
$1.57SEK 14.78
-5.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.32
$2.06SEK 19.31
-51.94%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.68
$1.29SEK 12.10
-60.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$7.41SEK 69.6
-40.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿634
$10.94SEK 103
77.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.86SEK 17.49
-4.30%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.7
$2.25SEK 21.13
20.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.83
$4.11SEK 38.60
-66.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$78.2SEK 734
-85.43%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.7
$5.43SEK 51.0
-44.38%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.51
$0.83SEK 7.81
19.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$78.0SEK 732
-81.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.55
$1.90SEK 17.85
-28.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.9K
$25.3KSEK 237.6K
11.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$33.5KSEK 314.8K
-1.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,978
$122SEK 1,148
-0.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$28.68SEK 269
-52.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿599
$41.48SEK 390
-55.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,969
$42.30SEK 397
42.36%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$27.25SEK 256
-37.10%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$16.59SEK 156
-47.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$154SEK 1,444
351.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.8K
$4,087SEK 38.4K
283.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,946
$79.5SEK 747
-25.12%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,137
$33.93SEK 319
2.48%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,746
$104SEK 979
9.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,723
$130SEK 1,224
-36.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$860SEK 8,074
-28.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$674SEK 6,332
-35.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.5K
$1,442SEK 13.5K
45.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$1,237SEK 11.6K
22.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.6K
$3,633SEK 34.1K
3.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$2,738SEK 25.7K
-81.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.53
17.66%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Jonkoping: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $860 in Jonkoping. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Jonkoping pays 439% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $87.0 in Jonkoping for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $345 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 Jonkoping: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jonkoping cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Jonkoping?
On paper, Jonkoping earns 439% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Jonkoping?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $860 in Jonkoping. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $154 in Jonkoping. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Jonkoping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Jonkoping. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Jonkoping?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,817 in Jonkoping, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Jonkoping. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Jonkoping more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Jonkoping, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Jonkoping?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Jonkoping 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Jonkoping. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.