Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ostersund Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ostersund

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,853 in Ostersund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $2,860 in Ostersund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $3,867 in Ostersund.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 34% less than in Ostersund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Ostersund is 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$13.21 SEK 122

-64.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

$73.7 SEK 683

-36.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

$10.60 SEK 98.3

-16.60%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿97.4

$4.50 SEK 41.74

-33.33%

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

$0.74 ฿24.11

$2.79 SEK 25.84

-73.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.88

$2.49 SEK 23.08

-85.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

$7.85 SEK 72.8

-68.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

$7.42 SEK 68.8

-51.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.5

$1.53 SEK 14.23

47.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿59.8

$3.08 SEK 28.58

-40.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.0

$5.10 SEK 47.32

-56.08%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.3

$3.61 SEK 33.51

-35.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿639

$14.49 SEK 134

35.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$11.74 SEK 109

-68.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿426

$15.97 SEK 148

-17.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$4.54 SEK 42.10

-25.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.4

$3.00 SEK 27.80

-45.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.5

$3.73 SEK 34.54

-35.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.0

$4.19 SEK 38.88

-51.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.6

$3.71 SEK 34.36

-57.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.66

$1.85 SEK 17.12

-18.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.30

$2.63 SEK 24.36

-61.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

$1.53 SEK 14.14

-67.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$8.20 SEK 76.0

-45.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

$11.06 SEK 103

70.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.7

$1.97 SEK 18.23

-9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

$1.95 SEK 18.04

41.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

$3.28 SEK 30.43

-57.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

$74.6 SEK 692

-84.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿101

$6.12 SEK 56.7

-49.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

$1.67 SEK 15.44

-40.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

$61.5 SEK 570

-77.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.93

$2.09 SEK 19.38

-35.41%

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

$32.8K SEK 303.6K

-17.01%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$34.4K SEK 318.8K

-4.28%

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

$125 ฿4,063

$115 SEK 1,062

9.10%

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

$13.57 ฿441

$28.51 SEK 264

-52.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿602

$37.11 SEK 344

-50.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

$39.73 SEK 368

54.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$24.92 SEK 231

-32.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

$15.69 SEK 145

-41.43%

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

$698 ฿22.7K

$129 SEK 1,198

440.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

$4,151 SEK 38.5K

275.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$94.4 SEK 875

-38.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,146

$41.27 SEK 383

-14.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,677

$95.5 SEK 885

18.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,808

$153 SEK 1,414

-43.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

$830 SEK 7,690

-25.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

$647 SEK 5,993

-31.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

$1,420 SEK 13.2K

44.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

$1,061 SEK 9,840

40.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

$4,517 SEK 41.9K

-16.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

$2,965 SEK 27.5K

-10.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ostersund: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $830 in Ostersund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $74.0 in Ostersund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $387 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 Ostersund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $2,780 in Ostersund 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $830 in Ostersund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,853 in Ostersund – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 550% less than in Ostersund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,853 in Ostersund, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ostersund. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ostersund, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Ostersund are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Ostersund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.