🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,766 in Stenungsund.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,745 in Stenungsund.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $3,724 in Stenungsund.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 29% less than in Stenungsund, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Stenungsund is 31% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿150
$13.42SEK 127
-66.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,535
$69.4SEK 658
-32.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿279
$9.26SEK 87.8
-8.53%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿99.7
$4.66SEK 44.16
-34.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.69
$1.57SEK 14.84
-56.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$2.43SEK 23.04
-84.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.9
$7.51SEK 71.2
-66.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿120
$7.23SEK 68.6
-49.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.8
$1.52SEK 14.40
43.42%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.6
$3.05SEK 28.92
-37.70%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿72.4
$4.02SEK 38.16
-45.27%
Eggs
$2.22฿73.2
$3.87SEK 36.67
-42.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿658
$13.84SEK 131
44.44%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿121
$11.80SEK 112
-68.98%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿436
$15.80SEK 150
-16.14%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿106
$3.49SEK 33.05
-7.45%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.9
$2.61SEK 24.79
-34.87%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.8
$1.59SEK 15.08
50.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$5.69SEK 53.9
-63.44%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿52.4
$1.49SEK 14.15
6.71%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.83
$2.14SEK 20.29
-30.84%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.90
$2.77SEK 26.26
-62.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.01
$1.70SEK 16.11
-69.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿140
$7.33SEK 69.5
-42.02%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿618
$8.41SEK 79.7
123.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.8
$1.72SEK 16.33
2.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿90.8
$1.87SEK 17.75
47.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.79
$2.66SEK 25.22
-48.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿374
$75.1SEK 712
-84.87%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿103
$5.62SEK 53.3
-44.13%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿34.10
$1.67SEK 15.80
-37.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿453
$21.18SEK 201
-34.99%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.26
$1.92SEK 18.17
-30.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿911.1K
$32.9KSEK 312.1K
-15.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$34.8KSEK 329.7K
-2.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,069
$91.0SEK 862
35.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿445
$28.43SEK 270
-52.44%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿615
$37.33SEK 354
-49.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,035
$39.99SEK 379
54.59%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿568
$25.63SEK 243
-32.70%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿301
$15.83SEK 150
-42.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿23.1K
$144SEK 1,369
386.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿522.5K
$738SEK 7,000
2049.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,958
$103SEK 977
-42.31%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,154
$44.24SEK 419
-20.73%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,795
$114SEK 1,079
1.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,767
$153SEK 1,446
-44.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.4K
$835SEK 7,922
-25.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.2K
$651SEK 6,177
-33.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.9K
$1,378SEK 13.1K
49.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.7K
$1,075SEK 10.2K
40.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿120.0K
$4,708SEK 44.6K
-22.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿86.4K
$2,916SEK 27.7K
-9.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.7K
$2,055SEK 19.5K
-75.33%
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 7, 2026
Last update for Stenungsund: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $835 in Stenungsund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Stenungsund pays 305% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $69.0 in Stenungsund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $363 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 Stenungsund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stenungsund cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Stenungsund?
On paper, Stenungsund earns 305% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Stenungsund?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $835 in Stenungsund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $144 in Stenungsund. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Stenungsund?
Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Stenungsund. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Stenungsund?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,766 in Stenungsund, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Stenungsund. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Stenungsund more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Stenungsund, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Stenungsund?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Stenungsund 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 40% less than in Stenungsund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.