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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $2,081 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $3,224 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $4,368 in Malmo, rent included.

Phuket is about 40% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Malmo is 56% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$13.74 SEK 133

-66.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$83.5 SEK 807

-44.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$12.74 SEK 123

-30.61%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$5.15 SEK 49.73

-40.58%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$2.68 SEK 25.92

-72.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$2.10 SEK 20.29

-80.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$7.81 SEK 75.5

-68.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$8.01 SEK 77.4

-52.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.73 SEK 16.76

30.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$3.08 SEK 29.73

-41.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$3.48 SEK 33.67

-35.34%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$4.53 SEK 43.80

-50.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$12.41 SEK 120

57.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$13.01 SEK 126

-71.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$26.83 SEK 259

-51.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.40 SEK 32.84

-5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.94 SEK 28.43

-44.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$3.29 SEK 31.83

-27.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$4.83 SEK 46.69

-57.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.87 SEK 18.10

-18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.94 SEK 18.76

-22.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$2.55 SEK 24.68

-61.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$1.34 SEK 13.00

-61.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$7.88 SEK 76.2

-43.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$11.67 SEK 113

56.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.40 SEK 23.25

-22.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$2.73 SEK 26.39

-1.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$3.46 SEK 33.40

-59.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$71.0 SEK 686

-83.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$6.76 SEK 65.3

-53.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$2.64 SEK 25.49

-60.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$57.1 SEK 552

-75.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.90 SEK 18.41

-31.05%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$33.0K SEK 318.6K

-15.61%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$33.9K SEK 328.1K

-2.15%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$155 SEK 1,496

-20.88%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$29.60 SEK 286

-54.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$39.55 SEK 382

-52.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$39.29 SEK 380

53.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$23.47 SEK 227

-27.65%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$17.81 SEK 172

-49.07%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$157 SEK 1,520

349.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$4,884 SEK 47.2K

223.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$105 SEK 1,013

-44.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$45.70 SEK 442

-22.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$124 SEK 1,199

-6.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$166 SEK 1,607

-49.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$916 SEK 8,856

-31.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$791 SEK 7,642

-43.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$1,702 SEK 16.4K

19.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,378 SEK 13.3K

8.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$4,179 SEK 40.4K

-16.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$3,318 SEK 32.1K

-22.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$3,148 SEK 30.4K

-84.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.86

9.67%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Malmo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $916 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 530% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $83.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $412 – 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 66% 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $3,121 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 $706 per month in Phuket and $157 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $1,250, than in Malmo at $2,081. 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 $1,250 versus $2,081 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.