🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $1,823 in Stenungsund.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $2,802 in Stenungsund.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $3,781 in Stenungsund.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 30% less than in Stenungsund, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Stenungsund is 36% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿150
$12.97SEK 119
-64.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44฿1,496
$68.9SEK 634
-32.59%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿280
$8.98SEK 82.6
-3.34%
Cappuccino
$2.95฿95.0
$4.51SEK 41.47
-34.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70฿22.52
$1.56SEK 14.32
-55.13%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿12.70
$2.41SEK 22.16
-83.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿81.6
$7.18SEK 66.1
-64.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿122
$7.17SEK 66.0
-47.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.22฿71.5
$1.45SEK 13.38
53.10%
White Bread(500g)
$1.80฿57.8
$3.08SEK 28.29
-41.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.19฿70.4
$3.92SEK 36.03
-44.13%
Eggs
$2.31฿74.5
$3.94SEK 36.21
-41.37%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.34฿623
$13.93SEK 128
38.84%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.77฿121
$11.94SEK 110
-68.43%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.22฿426
$15.85SEK 146
-16.59%
Apples(1kg)
$3.33฿107
$3.61SEK 33.17
-7.76%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65฿53.1
$2.58SEK 23.78
-36.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29฿73.7
$1.54SEK 14.19
48.70%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿64.1
$5.59SEK 51.4
-64.40%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.24
$1.51SEK 13.90
1.32%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51฿48.77
$2.10SEK 19.31
-28.10%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.12
$2.78SEK 25.60
-62.95%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.57
$1.75SEK 16.10
-70.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿142
$7.60SEK 69.9
-41.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.41฿625
$8.87SEK 81.6
118.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿58.0
$1.71SEK 15.78
5.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿86.4
$1.96SEK 18.06
36.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.43฿46.11
$2.71SEK 24.98
-47.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿377
$73.6SEK 677
-84.10%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04฿97.9
$5.66SEK 52.1
-46.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.37
$1.59SEK 14.62
-34.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.68฿441
$21.22SEK 195
-35.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30฿41.85
$1.98SEK 18.26
-34.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K฿898.9K
$32.2KSEK 296.5K
-13.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K฿1.1M
$34.0KSEK 312.9K
-2.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿3,962
$89.5SEK 824
37.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82฿445
$27.93SEK 257
-50.52%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86฿608
$36.86SEK 339
-48.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.2฿1,970
$40.19SEK 370
52.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81฿541
$25.02SEK 230
-32.81%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿286
$15.67SEK 144
-43.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$696฿22.4K
$145SEK 1,333
380.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1K฿517.4K
$729SEK 6,705
2103.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,910
$107SEK 983
-44.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85฿1,123
$43.62SEK 401
-20.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,646
$118SEK 1,088
-4.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1฿2,740
$158SEK 1,451
-46.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$615฿19.8K
$827SEK 7,609
-25.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.4K
$650SEK 5,984
-31.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,085฿67.2K
$1,390SEK 12.8K
49.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿48.2K
$1,085SEK 9,982
37.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,734฿120.3K
$3,926SEK 36.1K
-4.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,662฿85.8K
$3,398SEK 31.3K
-21.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$534฿17.2K
$2,123SEK 19.5K
-74.87%
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 20, 2026
Last update for Stenungsund: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $827 in Stenungsund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Stenungsund pays 298% 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: $46 in Phuket vs $69 in Stenungsund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $364 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 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Stenungsund?
On paper, Stenungsund earns 298% 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: $615 in Phuket versus $827 in Stenungsund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $696 in Phuket versus $145 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 25% 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 $1,270 in Phuket versus $1,823 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 44% less than in Stenungsund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.