🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,630 in Trollhattan.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,558 in Trollhattan.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,486 in Trollhattan.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 22% less than in Trollhattan, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Trollhattan is 22% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$12.17SEK 114
-61.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$81.5SEK 764
-44.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$10.39SEK 97.4
-18.86%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$3.78SEK 35.43
-22.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$1.34SEK 12.53
-48.51%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$1.34SEK 12.55
-72.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$7.80SEK 73.2
-69.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$8.07SEK 75.7
-53.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.54SEK 14.47
44.81%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$2.25SEK 21.10
-18.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$3.93SEK 36.90
-44.78%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$3.99SEK 37.39
-44.61%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$12.16SEK 114
62.34%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$9.63SEK 90.3
-62.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$14.64SEK 137
-7.58%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$3.19SEK 29.93
2.82%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$2.62SEK 24.61
-38.55%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$3.54SEK 33.23
-31.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$3.59SEK 33.68
-42.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$2.20SEK 20.61
-30.45%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$2.00SEK 18.73
-26.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$2.87SEK 26.91
-65.51%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$1.86SEK 17.41
-72.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$8.14SEK 76.3
-45.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$14.27SEK 134
35.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.29SEK 12.07
37.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$1.67SEK 15.63
62.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$3.41SEK 31.96
-59.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$74.4SEK 698
-84.69%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$3.64SEK 34.15
-17.03%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$2.57SEK 24.07
-61.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$42.85SEK 402
-67.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$1.90SEK 17.82
-28.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$32.3KSEK 302.5K
-12.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$33.7KSEK 316.2K
-2.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$192SEK 1,798
-36.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$28.98SEK 272
-53.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$31.06SEK 291
-41.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$40.33SEK 378
49.32%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$24.91SEK 234
-31.19%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$14.50SEK 136
-40.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$157SEK 1,473
341.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$1,401SEK 13.1K
1019.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$84.1SEK 789
-29.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$31.31SEK 294
11.05%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$84.3SEK 791
35.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$122SEK 1,147
-31.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$630SEK 5,911
-2.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$481SEK 4,511
-9.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$1,120SEK 10.5K
87.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$802SEK 7,523
88.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$4,406SEK 41.3K
-14.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$2,967SEK 27.8K
-11.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$3,479SEK 32.6K
-85.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.2
26.90%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Trollhattan: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $630 in Trollhattan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Trollhattan pays 585% 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 $81.0 in Trollhattan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $345 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 Trollhattan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Trollhattan cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Trollhattan?
On paper, Trollhattan earns 585% 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 Trollhattan?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $630 in Trollhattan. 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 $157 in Trollhattan. 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 Trollhattan?
Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Trollhattan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Trollhattan?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,630 in Trollhattan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Trollhattan. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Trollhattan more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Trollhattan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Trollhattan?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Trollhattan 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 29% less than in Trollhattan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.