Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karlstad Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karlstad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,779 in Karlstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $2,685 in Karlstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $3,592 in Karlstad, rent included.

Phuket is about 29% cheaper than Karlstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 5% below the global median, while Karlstad is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$15.58 SEK 148

-71.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$68.9 SEK 655

-33.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$10.97 SEK 104

-20.15%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$4.83 SEK 45.88

-38.51%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$2.58 SEK 24.54

-73.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$2.21 SEK 20.98

-82.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$8.25 SEK 78.4

-69.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$8.26 SEK 78.5

-54.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.39 SEK 13.17

54.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$2.84 SEK 27.01

-35.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$3.87 SEK 36.72

-43.67%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$4.78 SEK 45.44

-52.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$12.16 SEK 116

64.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$14.28 SEK 136

-74.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$16.93 SEK 161

-19.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.98 SEK 28.28

8.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.55 SEK 24.21

-35.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$3.26 SEK 30.95

-28.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$5.08 SEK 48.24

-59.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.65 SEK 15.68

-6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.78 SEK 16.87

-17.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$2.69 SEK 25.58

-63.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.30 SEK 12.36

-63.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$7.30 SEK 69.4

-40.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$10.32 SEK 98.1

79.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.75 SEK 16.62

6.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.70 SEK 16.16

55.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$3.28 SEK 31.18

-56.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$83.6 SEK 794

-86.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$5.82 SEK 55.3

-45.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.34 SEK 12.75

-23.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$65.1 SEK 619

-78.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.94 SEK 18.45

-30.93%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$33.1K SEK 314.9K

-16.15%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$34.6K SEK 328.2K

-3.39%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$104 SEK 992

17.84%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$29.68 SEK 282

-53.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$42.68 SEK 406

-57.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$46.46 SEK 441

30.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$17.05 SEK 162

0.65%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$14.44 SEK 137

-38.57%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$150 SEK 1,422

359.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$3,150 SEK 29.9K

400.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$88.1 SEK 837

-32.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$41.71 SEK 396

-16.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$83.2 SEK 790

38.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$147 SEK 1,401

-43.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$1,056 SEK 10.0K

-41.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$589 SEK 5,599

-24.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$1,245 SEK 11.8K

63.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$906 SEK 8,604

65.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$3,148 SEK 29.9K

-84.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.8

11.04%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Karlstad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $1,056 in Karlstad. 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 538% higher in Karlstad, 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 $69.0 in Karlstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $372 – 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 Karlstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Karlstad is pricier by about 41%, 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $2,668 in Karlstad. 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 $46.00 in Phuket and $69.0 in Karlstad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $1,779 in Karlstad. 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 $1,264, than in Karlstad at $1,779. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karlstad 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, Karlstad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.