🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,614 in Trollhattan.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $2,485 in Trollhattan.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $3,355 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 9% below, Trollhattan is 17% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿150
$12.53SEK 119
-63.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.62฿1,073
$83.6SEK 797
-60.99%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.90฿293
$11.76SEK 112
-24.32%
Cappuccino
$2.80฿92.2
$2.58SEK 24.58
8.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿28.94
$1.34SEK 12.82
-34.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.08
$1.38SEK 13.21
-64.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.39฿78.5
$7.96SEK 75.9
-69.97%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71฿122
$7.60SEK 72.4
-51.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.79฿58.8
$1.37SEK 13.09
30.66%
White Bread(500g)
$1.44฿47.40
$2.27SEK 21.66
-36.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.58฿52.1
$2.68SEK 25.56
-41.04%
Eggs
$2.13฿69.9
$3.92SEK 37.35
-45.66%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.92฿655
$9.87SEK 94.1
101.82%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.43฿113
$9.47SEK 90.3
-63.78%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.33฿372
$15.49SEK 148
-26.86%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95฿97.0
$1.33SEK 12.69
121.80%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿56.6
$2.53SEK 24.08
-32.02%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.32฿76.5
$2.86SEK 27.30
-18.88%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$2.37SEK 22.57
-12.24%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.34
$1.53SEK 14.56
-3.92%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36฿44.65
$1.28SEK 12.19
6.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.13
$2.04SEK 19.45
-46.08%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57฿18.89
$1.12SEK 10.68
-49.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿140
$7.72SEK 73.6
-44.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.42฿606
$8.55SEK 81.5
115.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87฿61.5
$1.47SEK 14.02
27.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92฿96.1
$1.95SEK 18.56
49.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.22฿73.0
$3.80SEK 36.19
-41.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.90฿753
$82.2SEK 784
-72.14%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿99.6
$3.71SEK 35.42
-18.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.07฿35.32
$1.87SEK 17.79
-42.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.93฿129
$57.2SEK 545
-93.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.06
$1.86SEK 17.76
-19.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K฿892.0K
$33.8KSEK 322.0K
-19.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K฿902.6K
$33.8KSEK 322.3K
-18.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103฿3,380
$186SEK 1,778
-44.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.99฿361
$23.76SEK 227
-53.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.51฿576
$36.24SEK 346
-51.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.5฿1,760
$35.47SEK 338
50.92%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.20฿368
$34.60SEK 330
-67.63%
Cinema Ticket
$7.48฿246
$15.18SEK 145
-50.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$557฿18.3K
$157SEK 1,499
254.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.9K฿389.7K
$5,263SEK 50.2K
125.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.1฿2,107
$101SEK 961
-36.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.07฿956
$41.62SEK 397
-30.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.0฿3,155
$92.5SEK 882
3.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3฿2,970
$95.2SEK 908
-5.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$730฿24.0K
$657SEK 6,267
11.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$500฿16.4K
$518SEK 4,940
-3.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,090฿68.7K
$1,075SEK 10.2K
94.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209฿39.8K
$820SEK 7,817
47.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,596฿118.2K
$3,085SEK 29.4K
16.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,512฿82.6K
$2,588SEK 24.7K
-2.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿16.6K
$3,311SEK 31.6K
-84.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
3.53
57.79%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Last update for Trollhattan: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $657 in Trollhattan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Trollhattan pays 558% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $84.0 in Trollhattan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $288 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Trollhattan?
On paper, salaries run 558% lower in Trollhattan. 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: $730 in Phuket versus $657 in Trollhattan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $557 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 in Trollhattan?
Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Trollhattan. 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 Trollhattan?
At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,614 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.