๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,706 in Mรถlndal.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,617 in Mรถlndal.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $3,527 in Mรถlndal.
๐Living in Phuket costs roughly 26% less than in Mรถlndal, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Mรถlndal is 27% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Mรถlndal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56เธฟ149
$12.87SEKย 121
-64.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63เธฟ1,519
$74.6SEKย 700
-37.53%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47เธฟ276
$10.68SEKย 100
-20.69%
Cappuccino
$3.03เธฟ98.6
$4.83SEKย 45.31
-37.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69เธฟ22.45
$3.09SEKย 28.99
-77.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37เธฟ11.92
$1.03SEKย 9.68
-64.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49เธฟ81.0
$7.52SEKย 70.5
-66.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66เธฟ119
$6.27SEKย 58.8
-41.63%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Mรถlndal
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18เธฟ71.0
$1.20SEKย 11.23
81.67%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90เธฟ62.0
$1.57SEKย 14.70
21.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20เธฟ71.6
$3.34SEKย 31.29
-34.13%
Eggs
$2.22เธฟ72.4
$3.76SEKย 35.27
-40.96%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99เธฟ651
$7.13SEKย 66.9
180.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66เธฟ119
$9.28SEKย 87.1
-60.56%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25เธฟ432
$15.70SEKย 147
-15.61%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23เธฟ105
$3.09SEKย 28.99
4.53%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70เธฟ55.3
$2.64SEKย 24.74
-35.61%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39เธฟ78.0
$2.89SEKย 27.12
-17.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08เธฟ67.7
$4.20SEKย 39.38
-50.48%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59เธฟ51.8
$1.71SEKย 16.03
-7.02%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48เธฟ48.31
$1.93SEKย 18.06
-23.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03เธฟ33.54
$2.00SEKย 18.74
-48.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52เธฟ16.83
$1.27SEKย 11.93
-59.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25เธฟ138
$7.39SEKย 69.3
-42.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79เธฟ612
$10.60SEKย 99.4
77.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76เธฟ57.2
$2.14SEKย 20.04
-17.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76เธฟ89.8
$2.60SEKย 24.34
6.15%
๐ Getting Around
Phuket
Mรถlndal
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36เธฟ44.32
$3.86SEKย 36.20
-64.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36เธฟ370
$88.9SEKย 834
-87.22%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14เธฟ102
$6.41SEKย 60.1
-51.01%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04เธฟ33.74
$1.59SEKย 14.95
-34.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77เธฟ448
$61.8SEKย 579
-77.70%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34เธฟ43.79
$1.97SEKย 18.44
-31.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7Kเธฟ901.4K
$32.0KSEKย 299.8K
-13.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9Kเธฟ1.1M
$35.1KSEKย 328.9K
-3.41%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Mรถlndal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124เธฟ4,025
$76.0SEKย 713
62.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52เธฟ440
$10.58SEKย 99.2
27.79%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69เธฟ609
$21.01SEKย 197
-11.04%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Mรถlndal
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8เธฟ2,013
$36.97SEKย 347
67.22%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25เธฟ562
$30.32SEKย 284
-43.11%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14เธฟ298
$18.13SEKย 170
-49.59%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Mรถlndal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703เธฟ22.9K
$172SEKย 1,616
307.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9Kเธฟ517.0K
$4,086SEKย 38.3K
288.45%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Mรถlndal
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5เธฟ1,937
$89.3SEKย 838
-33.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07เธฟ1,142
$39.76SEKย 373
-11.80%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115เธฟ3,754
$74.9SEKย 703
53.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1เธฟ2,737
$153SEKย 1,437
-45.13%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Mรถlndal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619เธฟ20.1K
$850SEKย 7,976
-27.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433เธฟ14.1K
$650SEKย 6,096
-33.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062เธฟ67.2K
$1,393SEKย 13.1K
48.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511เธฟ49.2K
$1,093SEKย 10.3K
38.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646เธฟ118.7K
$4,290SEKย 40.2K
-15.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626เธฟ85.5K
$3,005SEKย 28.2K
-12.63%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Mรถlndal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507เธฟ16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.33
23.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Mรถlndal: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $850 in Mรถlndal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $75.0 in Mรถlndal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $304 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
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 Mรถlndal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Mรถlndal?
Phuket wins on cost โ living expenses run 35% lower than in Mรถlndal. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket vs Mรถlndal?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $2,560 in Mรถlndal to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Mรถlndal?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $850 in Mรถlndal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Mรถlndal?
All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,706 in Mรถlndal โ a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Phuket vs Mรถlndal?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 683% less than in Mรถlndal. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Mรถlndal?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,706 in Mรถlndal, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mรถlndal. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Mรถlndal?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value โ similar infrastructure at $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Mรถlndal?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Mรถlndal are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 35% less than in Mรถlndal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.