Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and TabyCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Taby
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,865 in Taby.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,902 in Taby.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,939 in Taby.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 32% less than in Taby, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Taby is 39% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Taby
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$13.23SEK 124
-64.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$68.6SEK 643
-33.81%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$10.71SEK 100
-21.29%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$4.53SEK 42.48
-35.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$3.29SEK 30.84
-79.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$2.54SEK 23.79
-85.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$7.47SEK 70.1
-67.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$8.55SEK 80.2
-56.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Taby
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.74SEK 16.31
28.16%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$3.08SEK 28.91
-40.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$4.10SEK 38.42
-47.07%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$4.71SEK 44.14
-53.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$12.91SEK 121
52.90%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$12.00SEK 113
-69.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$19.55SEK 183
-30.79%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$3.51SEK 32.92
-6.55%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$2.72SEK 25.49
-40.81%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$1.56SEK 14.63
54.49%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$4.51SEK 42.33
-53.88%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$1.97SEK 18.44
-22.34%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$1.83SEK 17.12
-19.13%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$2.53SEK 23.69
-60.87%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$1.55SEK 14.54
-67.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$7.20SEK 67.5
-38.75%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$12.83SEK 120
51.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.70SEK 15.92
4.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$2.27SEK 21.28
19.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Taby
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$4.01SEK 37.64
-65.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$104SEK 978
-89.08%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$6.16SEK 57.7
-50.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$1.19SEK 11.15
-16.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$21.45SEK 201
-34.27%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$2.00SEK 18.74
-32.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$32.3KSEK 302.8K
-12.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$34.8KSEK 326.8K
-5.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Taby
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$89.1SEK 835
36.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$28.50SEK 267
-52.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$38.09SEK 357
-51.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Taby
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$47.05SEK 441
27.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$25.12SEK 236
-31.77%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$17.57SEK 165
-50.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Taby
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$164SEK 1,535
323.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$4,112SEK 38.6K
281.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Taby
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$106SEK 994
-43.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$42.87SEK 402
-18.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$115SEK 1,078
-0.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$158SEK 1,478
-47.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Taby
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$832SEK 7,804
-26.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$661SEK 6,204
-33.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$1,413SEK 13.3K
48.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$1,085SEK 10.2K
39.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$6,572SEK 61.6K
-42.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$7,485SEK 70.2K
-65.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Taby
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$3,558SEK 33.4K
-85.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.16
28.13%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Taby: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $832 in Taby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Taby pays 600% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $69.0 in Taby for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $380 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 Taby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Taby cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Taby?
On paper, Taby earns 600% 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 Taby?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $832 in Taby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $164 in Taby. 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 Taby?
Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Taby. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Taby?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,865 in Taby, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Taby. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Taby more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Taby, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Taby?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Taby 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 47% less than in Taby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.