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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,669 in Marsta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $2,655 in Marsta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $3,640 in Marsta, rent included.

Phuket is about 26% cheaper than Marsta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Marsta is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$13.49 SEK 133

-67.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$68.5 SEK 675

-52.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$10.34 SEK 102

-13.64%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.59 SEK 45.26

-36.82%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.07 SEK 20.37

-57.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.93 SEK 18.99

-75.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$7.25 SEK 71.4

-67.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$7.40 SEK 72.9

-49.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.82 SEK 17.90

2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$3.22 SEK 31.78

-54.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$5.47 SEK 53.9

-71.66%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.83 SEK 37.70

-45.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$14.13 SEK 139

38.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$9.14 SEK 90.0

-62.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$17.61 SEK 173

-35.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.15 SEK 31.06

-5.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.66 SEK 26.23

-36.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.04 SEK 20.14

8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$3.94 SEK 38.85

-45.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.49 SEK 14.72

2.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.58 SEK 15.56

-15.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.04 SEK 20.15

-44.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.92 SEK 18.89

-71.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$7.15 SEK 70.5

-40.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$10.51 SEK 104

81.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.01 SEK 19.79

-11.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.24 SEK 22.10

24.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$3.39 SEK 33.41

-34.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$79.2 SEK 780

-71.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$13.57 SEK 134

-77.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$2.03 SEK 20.02

-49.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$59.4 SEK 586

-93.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.75 SEK 17.28

-14.86%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$34.7K SEK 341.5K

-23.30%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$34.0K SEK 334.9K

-20.48%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$62.5 SEK 616

63.87%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$26.88 SEK 265

-57.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$40.99 SEK 404

-57.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$38.54 SEK 380

35.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$25.52 SEK 251

-56.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$16.34 SEK 161

-52.94%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$224 SEK 2,212

149.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$5,274 SEK 52.0K

118.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$51.9 SEK 511

21.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$30.99 SEK 305

-4.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$92.3 SEK 910

6.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$106 SEK 1,046

-16.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$842 SEK 8,300

-12.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$606 SEK 5,974

-20.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,379 SEK 13.6K

52.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$1,074 SEK 10.6K

14.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$4,179 SEK 41.2K

-13.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$2,874 SEK 28.3K

-9.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$4,836 SEK 47.7K

-89.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.2

74.06%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Marsta: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $842 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 880% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $69.0 in Marsta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $362 – 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 36%, 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $2,504 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $69.0 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $1,669 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 $1,232, than in Marsta at $1,669. 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.