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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,815 in Ostersund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $2,812 in Ostersund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $3,809 in Ostersund.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 33% less than in Ostersund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Ostersund is 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$13.67 SEK 128

-67.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$74.5 SEK 697

-37.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$10.74 SEK 101

-20.95%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$4.61 SEK 43.16

-33.19%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$2.80 SEK 26.16

-75.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$2.48 SEK 23.19

-85.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$7.85 SEK 73.5

-69.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$7.63 SEK 71.4

-52.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.50 SEK 13.99

46.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$3.08 SEK 28.82

-41.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$4.88 SEK 45.64

-54.30%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$3.47 SEK 32.42

-35.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$14.21 SEK 133

37.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$12.03 SEK 113

-69.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$15.94 SEK 149

-15.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$4.37 SEK 40.91

-23.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$3.05 SEK 28.54

-46.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$3.61 SEK 33.76

-33.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$4.11 SEK 38.48

-51.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$3.65 SEK 34.14

-58.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.86 SEK 17.40

-22.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$2.64 SEK 24.72

-61.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.55 SEK 14.54

-69.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$8.23 SEK 77.0

-48.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$10.85 SEK 102

76.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.99 SEK 18.64

-7.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$1.96 SEK 18.36

39.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$3.41 SEK 31.93

-58.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$73.1 SEK 684

-83.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$6.40 SEK 59.9

-53.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.58 SEK 14.78

-33.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$63.1 SEK 591

-77.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$2.04 SEK 19.12

-36.76%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$32.6K SEK 305.0K

-14.03%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$34.9K SEK 326.4K

-3.97%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$112 SEK 1,051

8.53%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$28.90 SEK 270

-51.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$36.08 SEK 338

-47.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$40.11 SEK 375

52.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$25.73 SEK 241

-34.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$15.26 SEK 143

-41.74%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$131 SEK 1,228

426.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$4,086 SEK 38.2K

295.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$96.3 SEK 901

-40.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$41.29 SEK 386

-14.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$98.7 SEK 923

14.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$149 SEK 1,397

-44.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$856 SEK 8,003

-29.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$662 SEK 6,196

-32.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$1,387 SEK 13.0K

46.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$1,092 SEK 10.2K

36.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$4,085 SEK 38.2K

-12.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$3,393 SEK 31.7K

-23.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

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 Ostersund: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $856 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 $384 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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Phuket and $2,723 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: $607 in Phuket versus $856 in Ostersund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $1,815 in Ostersund – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 524% less than in Ostersund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,815 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 48% less than in Ostersund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.