Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kiruna Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kiruna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,926 in Kiruna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $3,099 in Kiruna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $4,272 in Kiruna, rent included.

Phuket is about 34% cheaper than Kiruna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$12.75 SEK 121

-63.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,489

$96.7 SEK 915

-53.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿277

$11.79 SEK 112

-28.50%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.1

$4.64 SEK 43.94

-36.85%

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

$0.69 ฿22.50

$2.07 SEK 19.61

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$1.06 SEK 10.03

-65.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$8.50 SEK 80.4

-71.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$6.87 SEK 65.0

-45.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.3

$1.93 SEK 18.28

15.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$3.54 SEK 33.48

-48.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$4.97 SEK 47.05

-56.34%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$4.91 SEK 46.42

-54.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿648

$13.25 SEK 125

48.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$13.78 SEK 130

-73.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$28.10 SEK 266

-51.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿108

$2.59 SEK 24.51

26.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$2.72 SEK 25.75

-40.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.62 SEK 24.77

-8.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$4.31 SEK 40.75

-51.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$2.16 SEK 20.45

-29.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.58

$1.59 SEK 15.08

-6.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.44

$3.43 SEK 32.45

-71.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.74

$1.46 SEK 13.83

-65.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿145

$7.19 SEK 68.0

-38.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$10.16 SEK 96.1

90.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$1.82 SEK 17.25

-2.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿89.0

$1.88 SEK 17.80

44.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.99

$3.41 SEK 32.27

-59.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$74.3 SEK 703

-84.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.1

$9.29 SEK 87.9

-67.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.63

$1.60 SEK 15.17

-38.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿463

$73.8 SEK 699

-80.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.71

$1.97 SEK 18.62

-30.96%

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

$28.2K ฿925.3K

$32.4K SEK 307.0K

-13.07%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$36.2K SEK 342.8K

-9.19%

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

$122 ฿3,993

$173 SEK 1,638

-29.69%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$32.94 SEK 312

-58.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿601

$27.76 SEK 263

-34.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,976

$46.67 SEK 442

29.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

$24.86 SEK 235

-31.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$13.70 SEK 130

-36.57%

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

$693 ฿22.8K

$161 SEK 1,522

331.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.7K

$4,100 SEK 38.8K

282.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,953

$125 SEK 1,180

-52.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,141

$33.76 SEK 319

2.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,760

$129 SEK 1,224

-11.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,733

$166 SEK 1,574

-49.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$842 SEK 7,963

-27.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$641 SEK 6,061

-31.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$1,414 SEK 13.4K

48.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$1,182 SEK 11.2K

27.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿123.0K

$3,906 SEK 37.0K

-4.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$3,376 SEK 31.9K

-22.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$3,449 SEK 32.6K

-85.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

33.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kiruna: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $842 in Kiruna. 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 579% higher in Kiruna, 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 $97.0 in Kiruna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $423 – 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 Kiruna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $1,926 in Kiruna – roughly 52% apart. Kiruna costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,889 in Kiruna. 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.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Kiruna, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $97.0 in Kiruna. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Kiruna at $1,926. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kiruna 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 $1,265 in Phuket to $1,926 in Kiruna. 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, Kiruna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.