🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,621 in Trollhattan.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $2,542 in Trollhattan.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $3,462 in Trollhattan.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 23% less than in Trollhattan, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Trollhattan is 21% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$11.89SEK 115
-61.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$83.5SEK 808
-44.67%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$10.66SEK 103
-17.07%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$3.70SEK 35.86
-17.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$1.35SEK 13.10
-45.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$1.35SEK 13.08
-70.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$7.87SEK 76.2
-69.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$7.68SEK 74.3
-50.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.60SEK 15.53
41.25%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$2.34SEK 22.69
-22.65%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$3.81SEK 36.87
-40.94%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$3.96SEK 38.37
-43.18%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$11.88SEK 115
64.23%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$9.68SEK 93.7
-62.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$14.68SEK 142
-11.10%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$3.25SEK 31.44
-0.62%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$2.57SEK 24.93
-36.96%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$3.48SEK 33.65
-31.61%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$3.60SEK 34.90
-43.61%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$2.15SEK 20.85
-28.84%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$1.93SEK 18.68
-22.28%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$2.79SEK 27.06
-64.87%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$1.91SEK 18.50
-72.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$7.80SEK 75.6
-43.08%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$8.33SEK 80.6
119.93%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$1.24SEK 12.04
50.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
$1.70SEK 16.50
57.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
$3.35SEK 32.43
-57.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
$74.7SEK 723
-84.34%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$3.61SEK 34.94
-13.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$2.64SEK 25.52
-60.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$42.80SEK 414
-67.03%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$1.91SEK 18.49
-31.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$32.0KSEK 309.6K
-13.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$34.0KSEK 329.6K
-2.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$193SEK 1,867
-36.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$29.02SEK 281
-53.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$31.24SEK 303
-40.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
$39.93SEK 387
51.49%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
$25.30SEK 245
-32.89%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$14.73SEK 143
-38.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$159SEK 1,542
343.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$1,427SEK 13.8K
1007.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$83.2SEK 806
-29.66%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$31.87SEK 309
10.95%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$82.8SEK 801
39.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$124SEK 1,202
-32.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
$641SEK 6,208
-2.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$483SEK 4,678
-7.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
$1,101SEK 10.7K
85.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$813SEK 7,871
83.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
$2,985SEK 28.9K
16.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
$2,580SEK 25.0K
-0.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
$3,206SEK 31.0K
-84.41%
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: July 12, 2026
Last update for Trollhattan: July 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $641 in Trollhattan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Trollhattan pays 541% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $83.0 in Trollhattan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $333 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 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Trollhattan?
On paper, salaries run 541% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $641 in Trollhattan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $159 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 15% 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 $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,621 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 30% less than in Trollhattan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.