Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kista Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kista

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,780 in Kista, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $2,804 in Kista, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $3,829 in Kista, rent included.

Phuket is about 31% cheaper than Kista, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Kista is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$14.16 SEK 140

-68.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$78.8 SEK 777

-59.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$10.48 SEK 103

-14.79%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.68 SEK 46.11

-38.03%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.69 SEK 26.50

-67.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$2.21 SEK 21.79

-78.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$7.43 SEK 73.3

-68.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$7.40 SEK 73.0

-49.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.73 SEK 17.04

8.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.78 SEK 27.43

-47.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$3.79 SEK 37.38

-59.10%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$4.38 SEK 43.19

-52.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$12.51 SEK 123

56.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$12.13 SEK 120

-71.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$18.01 SEK 177

-36.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.25 SEK 32.01

-8.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.64 SEK 26.04

-36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.20 SEK 31.57

-30.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$4.42 SEK 43.54

-51.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.61 SEK 15.82

-5.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.70 SEK 16.73

-21.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.33 SEK 22.96

-51.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.54 SEK 15.17

-64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$7.77 SEK 76.6

-45.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$10.30 SEK 102

85.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.06 SEK 20.34

-13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.31 SEK 22.77

20.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$3.38 SEK 33.33

-34.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$79.4 SEK 782

-71.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$6.05 SEK 59.6

-49.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.77 SEK 17.40

-42.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$62.5 SEK 616

-93.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.85 SEK 18.25

-19.46%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$34.9K SEK 344.2K

-23.90%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$34.2K SEK 336.7K

-20.88%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$109 SEK 1,074

-5.99%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$26.87 SEK 265

-57.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$39.32 SEK 387

-55.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$38.98 SEK 384

33.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$26.46 SEK 261

-58.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$16.89 SEK 166

-54.47%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$164 SEK 1,618

241.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$5,266 SEK 51.9K

118.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$94.8 SEK 934

-33.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$43.93 SEK 433

-32.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$97.9 SEK 965

0.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$146 SEK 1,442

-39.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$843 SEK 8,303

-12.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$606 SEK 5,969

-20.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,395 SEK 13.8K

50.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$1,070 SEK 10.5K

14.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$4,175 SEK 41.1K

-13.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$2,932 SEK 28.9K

-11.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.42

62.87%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Kista: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $843 in Kista. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $79.0 in Kista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $369 – 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 Kista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kista costs about 45% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $2,670 in Kista. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $1,780 in Kista. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 249% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Kista at $1,780. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kista it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $1,780 in Kista. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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