Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Marsta Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Marsta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $1,739 in Marsta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $2,707 in Marsta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $3,675 in Marsta, rent included.

Phuket is about 30% cheaper than Marsta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 8% below the global median, while Marsta is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$12.93 SEK 121

-65.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$67.6 SEK 632

-31.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$10.73 SEK 100

-20.88%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$4.68 SEK 43.77

-34.19%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$2.07 SEK 19.38

-67.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$1.86 SEK 17.39

-80.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$7.52 SEK 70.4

-67.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$7.42 SEK 69.4

-51.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.85 SEK 17.29

18.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$3.08 SEK 28.79

-41.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$3.93 SEK 36.79

-43.26%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$3.79 SEK 35.42

-40.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$13.85 SEK 130

41.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$9.33 SEK 87.3

-60.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$15.40 SEK 144

-12.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$3.53 SEK 33.01

-4.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$2.66 SEK 24.88

-39.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$3.13 SEK 29.30

-23.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$3.94 SEK 36.90

-49.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.52 SEK 14.19

0.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.56 SEK 14.60

-7.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$2.67 SEK 24.99

-62.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.67 SEK 15.62

-71.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$7.31 SEK 68.4

-41.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$10.49 SEK 98.1

82.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.77 SEK 16.59

3.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$1.88 SEK 17.62

45.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$4.11 SEK 38.49

-65.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$98.6 SEK 922

-88.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$12.14 SEK 114

-75.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.59 SEK 14.86

-33.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$58.9 SEK 551

-76.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.93 SEK 18.01

-33.16%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$32.2K SEK 301.5K

-13.03%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$34.8K SEK 326.0K

-3.85%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$88.2 SEK 825

38.27%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$28.33 SEK 265

-50.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$36.86 SEK 345

-48.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$29.01 SEK 271

111.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$25.52 SEK 239

-34.01%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$16.10 SEK 151

-44.78%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$146 SEK 1,363

374.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$728 SEK 6,814

2118.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$80.1 SEK 749

-27.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$44.34 SEK 415

-20.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$99.5 SEK 930

14.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$105 SEK 980

-20.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$852 SEK 7,969

-28.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$657 SEK 6,145

-31.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$1,390 SEK 13.0K

46.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$1,075 SEK 10.1K

38.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$4,294 SEK 40.2K

-16.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$3,015 SEK 28.2K

-14.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$4,972 SEK 46.5K

-89.85%

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 Marsta: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $852 in Marsta. 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 885% higher in Marsta, 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $68.0 in Marsta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $352 – 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 Marsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Marsta is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,835 per month in Phuket and $2,609 in Marsta. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $68.0 in Marsta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,223 in Phuket and $1,739 in Marsta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,223, than in Marsta at $1,739. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marsta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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