🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,909 in Stenungsund.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $2,961 in Stenungsund.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $4,014 in Stenungsund.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 34% less than in Stenungsund, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Stenungsund is 38% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿154
$14.15SEK 137
-67.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22฿1,065
$67.2SEK 651
-52.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿287
$9.23SEK 89.5
-5.96%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿95.8
$4.39SEK 42.57
-33.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.89
$1.58SEK 15.36
-46.84%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.16
$2.29SEK 22.16
-78.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48฿82.0
$7.14SEK 69.3
-65.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿123
$7.18SEK 69.6
-48.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89฿62.3
$1.48SEK 14.33
27.70%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.54
$3.23SEK 31.31
-56.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62฿53.6
$5.60SEK 54.3
-71.07%
Eggs
$2.24฿74.1
$4.96SEK 48.07
-54.84%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.84฿656
$14.15SEK 137
40.21%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿115
$13.41SEK 130
-74.05%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.37฿376
$17.74SEK 172
-35.91%
Apples(1kg)
$2.90฿95.8
$3.22SEK 31.19
-9.94%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿57.0
$2.70SEK 26.16
-36.30%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿75.1
$2.13SEK 20.60
6.57%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿70.4
$4.94SEK 47.93
-56.88%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.72
$1.49SEK 14.41
-1.34%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42฿46.92
$1.84SEK 17.84
-22.83%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.25
$2.30SEK 22.31
-52.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60฿19.76
$1.88SEK 18.18
-68.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31฿142
$7.34SEK 71.2
-41.28%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.60฿615
$8.38SEK 81.2
121.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿59.5
$2.04SEK 19.78
-11.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97฿98.0
$2.27SEK 22.03
30.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25฿74.2
$2.54SEK 24.65
-11.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.49฿776
$79.4SEK 770
-70.42%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10฿102
$13.32SEK 129
-76.73%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.08฿35.56
$2.05SEK 19.85
-47.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.87฿128
$84.3SEK 817
-95.41%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.43฿47.16
$1.84SEK 17.79
-22.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿918.0K
$34.6KSEK 335.7K
-19.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿891.5K
$34.5KSEK 334.7K
-21.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105฿3,462
$180SEK 1,743
-41.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39฿376
$27.27SEK 264
-58.23%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54฿580
$48.86SEK 474
-64.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.3฿1,795
$39.05SEK 379
39.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44฿378
$26.37SEK 256
-56.62%
Cinema Ticket
$7.78฿257
$16.75SEK 162
-53.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576฿19.0K
$223SEK 2,161
158.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿382.7K
$5,145SEK 49.9K
125.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6฿2,103
$104SEK 1,007
-38.73%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10฿961
$55.0SEK 533
-47.07%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.2฿3,179
$99.4SEK 963
-3.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0฿2,974
$224SEK 2,172
-59.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$733฿24.2K
$937SEK 9,085
-21.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501฿16.5K
$532SEK 5,162
-5.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126฿70.2K
$1,306SEK 12.7K
62.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,252฿41.4K
$1,196SEK 11.6K
4.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,534฿116.8K
$3,674SEK 35.6K
-3.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,622฿86.6K
$2,799SEK 27.1K
-6.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Stenungsund
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.8K
$1,998SEK 19.4K
-74.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
3.2
74.06%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Last update for Stenungsund: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $937 in Stenungsund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Stenungsund pays 294% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $67.0 in Stenungsund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $389 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Stenungsund?
On paper, salaries run 294% lower in Stenungsund. 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: $733 in Phuket versus $937 in Stenungsund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $223 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 in Stenungsund?
Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Stenungsund. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Stenungsund?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,909 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 51% less than in Stenungsund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.