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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $1,841 in Kista, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $2,845 in Kista, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $3,849 in Kista, rent included.

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

Phuket sits 8% below the global median, while Kista is 38% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$13.40 SEK 125

-66.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$73.7 SEK 689

-36.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$10.67 SEK 99.8

-20.43%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$4.52 SEK 42.30

-31.86%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$2.75 SEK 25.71

-75.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$2.50 SEK 23.38

-85.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$7.84 SEK 73.3

-69.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$7.42 SEK 69.5

-51.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.67 SEK 15.64

31.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$2.87 SEK 26.82

-36.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$3.81 SEK 35.65

-41.47%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$4.16 SEK 38.95

-46.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$12.07 SEK 113

62.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$11.74 SEK 110

-68.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$16.88 SEK 158

-20.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$3.10 SEK 29.01

8.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$2.58 SEK 24.09

-37.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$3.02 SEK 28.23

-20.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$4.38 SEK 40.97

-54.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.56 SEK 14.58

-1.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.79 SEK 16.77

-18.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$2.64 SEK 24.68

-61.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.51 SEK 14.12

-68.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$7.44 SEK 69.6

-42.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$9.21 SEK 86.2

107.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.96 SEK 18.36

-6.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$1.90 SEK 17.81

44.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$3.30 SEK 30.88

-56.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$75.2 SEK 703

-84.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$6.29 SEK 58.9

-52.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.60 SEK 14.99

-34.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$62.5 SEK 584

-77.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.90 SEK 17.76

-32.11%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$32.8K SEK 306.9K

-14.54%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$34.4K SEK 321.5K

-2.51%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$112 SEK 1,048

8.91%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$28.99 SEK 271

-51.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$36.29 SEK 339

-48.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$40.93 SEK 383

49.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$25.26 SEK 236

-33.33%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$15.90 SEK 149

-44.09%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$144 SEK 1,348

379.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$4,120 SEK 38.5K

292.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$94.9 SEK 888

-39.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$40.22 SEK 376

-12.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$96.6 SEK 903

17.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$152 SEK 1,422

-45.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$848 SEK 7,928

-28.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$641 SEK 5,996

-30.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$1,417 SEK 13.3K

43.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$1,078 SEK 10.1K

38.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$3,939 SEK 36.9K

-9.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$2,986 SEK 27.9K

-13.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.53

17.66%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Kista: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $848 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $74.0 in Kista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $357 – 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 50% 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 $1,835 per month in Phuket and $2,761 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 $1,223 in Phuket and $1,841 in Kista. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 542% 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 $1,223, than in Kista at $1,841. 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 $1,223 versus $1,841 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.