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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,768 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,652 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $3,535 in Karlskrona, rent included.

Phuket is about 28% cheaper than Karlskrona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Karlskrona is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$13.32 SEK 124

-64.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$69.1 SEK 645

-34.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$9.22 SEK 86.0

-8.57%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.98 SEK 37.16

-26.38%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.45 SEK 13.48

-52.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$2.51 SEK 23.44

-85.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$7.21 SEK 67.3

-66.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.33 SEK 49.78

-30.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.60 SEK 14.88

39.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$2.84 SEK 26.45

-35.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$3.84 SEK 35.80

-43.49%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$4.07 SEK 38.01

-45.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.49 SEK 107

71.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$11.95 SEK 111

-69.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$15.94 SEK 149

-15.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.23 SEK 30.13

1.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.43 SEK 22.69

-33.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.21 SEK 29.96

-24.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$4.64 SEK 43.31

-55.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.51 SEK 14.07

1.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.60 SEK 14.88

-7.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$2.22 SEK 20.69

-55.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.45 SEK 13.49

-64.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$7.48 SEK 69.8

-41.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$13.48 SEK 126

43.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.10 SEK 19.59

-15.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.77 SEK 16.55

53.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$3.03 SEK 28.24

-54.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$65.2 SEK 608

-82.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$14.57 SEK 136

-79.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.66 SEK 15.47

-40.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$21.00 SEK 196

-32.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.87 SEK 17.49

-27.27%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$33.1K SEK 308.6K

-14.72%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$34.1K SEK 317.7K

-3.37%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$53.3 SEK 497

128.46%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$28.37 SEK 265

-52.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$36.87 SEK 344

-50.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$43.31 SEK 404

39.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$24.03 SEK 224

-28.67%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$17.05 SEK 159

-49.03%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$146 SEK 1,358

376.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$753 SEK 7,026

1983.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$104 SEK 967

-42.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$20.86 SEK 195

66.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$85.2 SEK 795

34.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$154 SEK 1,434

-45.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$716 SEK 6,679

-14.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$690 SEK 6,435

-36.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,149 SEK 10.7K

82.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,002 SEK 9,348

50.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$3,141 SEK 29.3K

19.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$2,664 SEK 24.9K

-1.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$2,640 SEK 24.6K

-80.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.7

13.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Karlskrona: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $716 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 420% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $69.0 in Karlskrona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $360 – 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 40%, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,652 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 $45.00 in Phuket and $69.0 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 $1,265 in Phuket and $1,768 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 $1,265, than in Karlskrona at $1,768. 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.