🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,745 in Jonkoping.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,834 in Jonkoping.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $3,922 in Jonkoping.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 29% less than in Jonkoping, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Jonkoping is 28% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$13.40SEK 132
-67.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,077
$92.2SEK 908
-65.01%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿298
$12.14SEK 120
-26.44%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.6
$4.58SEK 45.16
-36.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.38
$2.08SEK 20.50
-57.69%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$2.09SEK 20.55
-77.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.5
$8.00SEK 78.8
-70.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$7.36SEK 72.5
-49.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.3
$1.70SEK 16.79
10.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.94
$2.10SEK 20.68
-30.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$3.68SEK 36.28
-57.88%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.1
$3.88SEK 38.22
-45.88%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿654
$12.75SEK 126
53.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$12.04SEK 119
-71.59%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿380
$17.32SEK 171
-34.30%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.6
$3.02SEK 29.73
-1.32%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.2
$2.58SEK 25.40
-34.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.7
$2.92SEK 28.80
-24.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.1
$4.41SEK 43.47
-51.02%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.9
$1.70SEK 16.71
-10.59%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.67
$1.47SEK 14.49
-8.84%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.67
$1.76SEK 17.34
-35.80%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$1.02SEK 10.03
-46.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$8.29SEK 81.7
-48.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿637
$11.26SEK 111
69.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.4
$1.83SEK 18.08
-2.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.9
$2.26SEK 22.31
23.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.4
$4.08SEK 40.24
-45.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿759
$77.1SEK 760
-70.50%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$5.24SEK 51.6
-42.18%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.15
$1.15SEK 11.35
-11.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$43.27SEK 426
-91.01%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.77
$1.78SEK 17.51
-16.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿887.3K
$33.8KSEK 332.7K
-21.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿902.2K
$34.2KSEK 337.2K
-21.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,420
$79.6SEK 785
28.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿378
$28.64SEK 282
-60.44%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿581
$42.27SEK 417
-58.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,738
$44.69SEK 440
16.54%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿370
$30.32SEK 299
-63.49%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿257
$15.08SEK 149
-49.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$162SEK 1,598
245.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿384.1K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,104
$83.5SEK 822
-24.47%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿986
$26.00SEK 256
13.54%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,272
$102SEK 1,006
-3.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,954
$125SEK 1,229
-29.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$914SEK 9,004
-19.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$655SEK 6,459
-26.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.3K
$1,378SEK 13.6K
52.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.9K
$1,197SEK 11.8K
2.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.7K
$3,655SEK 36.0K
-1.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Jonkoping
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$2,951SEK 29.1K
-83.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
3.27
70.34%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Jonkoping: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $914 in Jonkoping. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Jonkoping pays 498% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $92.0 in Jonkoping for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $346 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Jonkoping?
On paper, salaries run 498% lower in Jonkoping. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $914 in Jonkoping. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $162 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 in Jonkoping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Jonkoping. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Jonkoping?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,745 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 42% less than in Jonkoping. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.