🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,776 in Ostersund.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,833 in Ostersund.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $3,890 in Ostersund.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 31% less than in Ostersund, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Ostersund is 30% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Ostersund
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$14.02SEK 138
-68.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,077
$78.4SEK 773
-58.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿298
$10.49SEK 103
-14.87%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.6
$4.84SEK 47.68
-40.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.38
$2.81SEK 27.68
-68.68%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$2.25SEK 22.13
-78.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.5
$7.36SEK 72.6
-68.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$7.10SEK 70.0
-47.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ostersund
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.3
$1.54SEK 15.18
21.43%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.94
$2.98SEK 29.36
-50.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$4.93SEK 48.60
-68.56%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.1
$3.46SEK 34.08
-39.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿654
$14.28SEK 141
37.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$11.84SEK 117
-71.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿380
$15.74SEK 155
-27.70%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.6
$4.46SEK 43.94
-33.18%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.2
$2.96SEK 29.13
-43.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.7
$3.55SEK 34.97
-37.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.1
$4.28SEK 42.21
-49.53%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.9
$1.65SEK 16.23
-7.88%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.67
$1.62SEK 15.94
-17.28%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.67
$2.39SEK 23.53
-52.72%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$1.54SEK 15.20
-64.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$8.08SEK 79.6
-47.28%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿637
$10.53SEK 104
81.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.4
$1.99SEK 19.65
-10.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.9
$2.23SEK 21.99
24.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Ostersund
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.4
$3.40SEK 33.55
-34.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿759
$81.2SEK 801
-72.01%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$6.26SEK 61.7
-51.60%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.15
$1.72SEK 16.96
-40.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$61.2SEK 603
-93.64%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.77
$1.88SEK 18.55
-20.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿887.3K
$34.9KSEK 344.2K
-23.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿902.2K
$34.3KSEK 338.2K
-21.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ostersund
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,420
$107SEK 1,054
-4.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿378
$27.13SEK 267
-58.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿581
$39.47SEK 389
-55.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ostersund
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,738
$39.68SEK 391
31.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿370
$26.20SEK 258
-57.75%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿257
$15.27SEK 150
-49.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ostersund
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$131SEK 1,291
328.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿384.1K
$5,237SEK 51.6K
119.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ostersund
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,104
$94.6SEK 932
-33.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿986
$43.68SEK 430
-32.42%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,272
$97.9SEK 965
0.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,954
$144SEK 1,424
-38.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ostersund
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$844SEK 8,316
-12.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$604SEK 5,955
-20.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.3K
$1,420SEK 14.0K
48.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.9K
$1,061SEK 10.5K
15.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.7K
$4,145SEK 40.8K
-12.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.9K
$2,859SEK 28.2K
-8.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ostersund
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
3.42
62.87%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Ostersund: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $844 in Ostersund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $78.0 in Ostersund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $375 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
Is Ostersund cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $2,664 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Ostersund?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $844 in Ostersund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Ostersund?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,776 in Ostersund – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 257% less than in Ostersund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Ostersund?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,776 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.
Is Phuket or Ostersund more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Ostersund?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Ostersund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.