Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kalmar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kalmar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,926 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $2,839 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $3,751 in Kalmar, rent included.

Phuket is about 35% cheaper than Kalmar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Kalmar is 44% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$15.76 SEK 153

-71.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$74.7 SEK 723

-38.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$10.34 SEK 100

-14.51%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$4.68 SEK 45.26

-34.62%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$2.81 SEK 27.23

-74.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$2.73 SEK 26.46

-85.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$9.90 SEK 95.9

-75.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$7.59 SEK 73.5

-50.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.50 SEK 14.57

50.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.48 SEK 23.99

-27.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.71 SEK 26.27

-16.97%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$4.88 SEK 47.26

-53.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$10.18 SEK 98.6

91.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$11.54 SEK 112

-68.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$16.07 SEK 156

-18.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.67 SEK 25.84

20.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.73 SEK 26.48

-40.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$3.17 SEK 30.68

-24.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$3.78 SEK 36.60

-46.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.49 SEK 14.38

2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.33 SEK 22.52

-35.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$2.07 SEK 20.04

-52.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.68 SEK 16.24

-69.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$7.12 SEK 68.9

-37.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$9.11 SEK 88.2

101.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.00 SEK 19.40

-7.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.72 SEK 16.61

55.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$2.98 SEK 28.86

-52.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$87.1 SEK 843

-86.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$7.08 SEK 68.6

-56.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.59 SEK 15.43

-34.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$52.6 SEK 509

-73.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.91 SEK 18.45

-31.41%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$27.6K SEK 266.9K

0.90%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$28.1K SEK 272.0K

18.24%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$117 SEK 1,131

4.84%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$28.56 SEK 277

-52.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$30.64 SEK 297

-38.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$29.77 SEK 288

103.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$15.73 SEK 152

7.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$14.39 SEK 139

-36.97%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$146 SEK 1,412

384.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$4,077 SEK 39.5K

287.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$64.2 SEK 622

-8.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$21.00 SEK 203

68.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$60.4 SEK 585

91.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$75.9 SEK 735

10.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$947 SEK 9,168

-33.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$812 SEK 7,857

-45.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,363 SEK 13.2K

49.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,203 SEK 11.6K

24.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$4,262 SEK 41.3K

-18.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$2,835 SEK 27.5K

-9.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$2,928 SEK 28.3K

-82.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.66

14.38%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $947 in Kalmar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 486% higher in Kalmar, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $75.0 in Kalmar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $337 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kalmar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $1,926 in Kalmar – roughly 54% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $2,889 in Kalmar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $146 in Kalmar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Kalmar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Kalmar at $1,926. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kalmar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,250 in Phuket to $1,926 in Kalmar. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kalmar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.