Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karlskrona Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karlskrona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,639 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $2,583 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $3,528 in Karlskrona, rent included.

Phuket is about 25% cheaper than Karlskrona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Karlskrona is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$13.36 SEK 132

-66.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$67.3 SEK 663

-52.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$9.46 SEK 93.2

-5.60%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.09 SEK 40.27

-29.10%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.35 SEK 13.29

-34.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$2.28 SEK 22.49

-78.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$7.32 SEK 72.2

-67.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$5.14 SEK 50.7

-27.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.48 SEK 14.55

26.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.71 SEK 26.75

-45.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$3.74 SEK 36.84

-58.56%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$4.61 SEK 45.44

-54.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$10.87 SEK 107

80.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$13.28 SEK 131

-74.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$17.32 SEK 171

-34.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.15 SEK 30.99

-5.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.37 SEK 23.33

-29.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.95 SEK 29.10

-25.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$4.55 SEK 44.87

-52.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.51 SEK 14.89

0.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.51 SEK 14.91

-11.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.15 SEK 21.19

-47.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.47 SEK 14.51

-62.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$7.15 SEK 70.5

-40.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$12.79 SEK 126

49.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.97 SEK 19.43

-9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.76 SEK 17.30

57.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$3.03 SEK 29.91

-26.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$73.5 SEK 725

-69.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$13.58 SEK 134

-77.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$2.00 SEK 19.76

-49.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$82.2 SEK 810

-95.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.71 SEK 16.84

-12.87%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$33.2K SEK 327.0K

-19.90%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$33.4K SEK 329.3K

-19.11%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$52.6 SEK 518

94.77%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$28.34 SEK 279

-60.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$37.87 SEK 373

-54.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$42.28 SEK 417

23.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$24.72 SEK 244

-55.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$16.62 SEK 164

-53.73%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$164 SEK 1,618

241.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$98.9 SEK 975

-36.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$20.68 SEK 204

42.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$81.8 SEK 806

19.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$178 SEK 1,756

-50.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$686 SEK 6,762

7.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$597 SEK 5,879

-19.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,140 SEK 11.2K

84.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$963 SEK 9,494

27.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$2,944 SEK 29.0K

22.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$2,555 SEK 25.2K

1.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$2,546 SEK 25.1K

-80.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.22

31.99%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Karlskrona: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $686 in Karlskrona. 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 416% higher in Karlskrona, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $67.0 in Karlskrona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $364 – 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 Karlskrona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Karlskrona is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $2,459 in Karlskrona. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $67.0 in Karlskrona. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $1,639 in Karlskrona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Karlskrona at $1,639. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karlskrona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Karlskrona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.