Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Malmo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Malmo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $2,083 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $3,221 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $4,359 in Malmo, rent included.

Phuket is about 41% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Malmo is 52% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$15.40 SEK 152

-71.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$76.7 SEK 756

-57.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$12.22 SEK 120

-26.92%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$5.10 SEK 50.3

-43.14%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$3.37 SEK 33.24

-73.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$2.68 SEK 26.37

-82.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$8.97 SEK 88.4

-73.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$8.97 SEK 88.4

-58.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.75 SEK 17.24

6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$3.03 SEK 29.88

-51.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$3.58 SEK 35.27

-56.70%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$4.23 SEK 41.71

-50.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$13.07 SEK 129

49.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$12.22 SEK 120

-72.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$22.01 SEK 217

-48.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.05 SEK 30.04

-2.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.62 SEK 25.85

-35.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.18 SEK 31.30

-30.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$4.44 SEK 43.75

-51.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.74 SEK 17.14

-12.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.52 SEK 14.99

-11.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.48 SEK 24.46

-54.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.31 SEK 12.89

-58.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$7.79 SEK 76.7

-45.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$11.80 SEK 116

61.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.00 SEK 19.72

-11.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.32 SEK 22.85

19.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$3.20 SEK 31.49

-30.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$64.5 SEK 636

-64.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$6.42 SEK 63.3

-52.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$2.44 SEK 24.00

-58.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$51.8 SEK 510

-92.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.76 SEK 17.33

-15.34%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$33.2K SEK 327.4K

-20.00%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$33.7K SEK 332.3K

-19.84%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$140 SEK 1,384

-27.04%

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

$37.50 SEK 370

-53.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$43.40 SEK 428

20.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$29.75 SEK 293

-62.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$17.63 SEK 174

-56.38%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$172 SEK 1,695

225.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$3,416 SEK 33.7K

236.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$103 SEK 1,012

-38.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$46.61 SEK 459

-36.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$114 SEK 1,120

-13.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$156 SEK 1,542

-43.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,044 SEK 10.3K

-29.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$816 SEK 8,044

-40.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,750 SEK 17.2K

20.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$1,377 SEK 13.6K

-10.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$4,211 SEK 41.5K

-14.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$3,287 SEK 32.4K

-20.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$3,113 SEK 30.7K

-84.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.02

84.44%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Malmo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $1,044 in Malmo. 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 531% higher in Malmo, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $77.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $383 – 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 Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 69% 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 $3,125 in Malmo. 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.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $172 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Malmo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Malmo at $2,083. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $2,083 in Malmo. 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, Malmo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.