🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Phuket versus $1,607 in Trollhattan.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $2,529 in Trollhattan.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Phuket versus $3,451 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 7% below, Trollhattan is 19% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.59฿147
$12.03SEK 111
-61.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.83฿1,501
$80.4SEK 739
-41.78%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.70฿279
$10.32SEK 94.9
-15.70%
Cappuccino
$2.92฿93.7
$3.67SEK 33.74
-20.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿21.92
$1.35SEK 12.43
-49.63%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿12.70
$1.34SEK 12.28
-70.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.51฿80.4
$7.52SEK 69.1
-66.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿122
$8.06SEK 74.1
-52.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.16฿69.3
$1.52SEK 14.01
42.11%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88฿60.3
$2.28SEK 20.91
-17.54%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.16฿69.2
$3.75SEK 34.46
-42.40%
Eggs
$2.22฿71.2
$3.90SEK 35.86
-43.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.57฿627
$11.90SEK 109
64.45%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.80฿122
$9.40SEK 86.4
-59.57%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.41฿430
$15.02SEK 138
-10.72%
Apples(1kg)
$3.26฿104
$3.19SEK 29.35
2.19%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿51.7
$2.56SEK 23.50
-37.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.31฿74.0
$3.60SEK 33.08
-35.83%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.06฿66.0
$3.76SEK 34.56
-45.21%
Potato(1kg)
$1.61฿51.5
$2.11SEK 19.43
-23.70%
Onion(1kg)
$1.44฿46.26
$2.02SEK 18.52
-28.71%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.01
$2.85SEK 26.16
-63.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿15.39
$1.83SEK 16.85
-73.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.50฿144
$7.87SEK 72.4
-42.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.18฿615
$10.67SEK 98.1
79.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82฿58.4
$1.26SEK 11.56
44.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69฿86.2
$1.71SEK 15.67
57.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.38฿44.16
$3.39SEK 31.16
-59.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.76฿377
$73.7SEK 677
-84.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿99.6
$3.60SEK 33.11
-13.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.18
$2.58SEK 23.71
-61.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.74฿441
$42.49SEK 390
-67.66%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30฿41.61
$1.96SEK 18.01
-33.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K฿877.0K
$33.2KSEK 305.0K
-17.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K฿1.1M
$33.7KSEK 310.1K
-2.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,004
$188SEK 1,727
-33.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.74฿440
$28.33SEK 260
-51.50%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.61฿597
$31.12SEK 286
-40.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.6฿1,941
$40.37SEK 371
49.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.15฿550
$25.06SEK 230
-31.56%
Cinema Ticket
$9.01฿289
$14.66SEK 135
-38.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.4K
$155SEK 1,429
348.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1K฿516.5K
$1,413SEK 13.0K
1039.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.2฿1,898
$85.0SEK 782
-30.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.86฿1,118
$31.19SEK 287
11.77%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114฿3,662
$85.1SEK 782
34.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8฿2,751
$125SEK 1,152
-31.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿19.8K
$624SEK 5,732
-0.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.0K
$468SEK 4,298
-6.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,075฿66.5K
$1,116SEK 10.3K
85.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿48.4K
$828SEK 7,606
82.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,764฿120.7K
$2,705SEK 24.9K
39.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,694฿86.4K
$2,335SEK 21.5K
15.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Trollhattan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$528฿16.9K
$3,521SEK 32.4K
-84.99%
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: April 13, 2026
Last update for Trollhattan: April 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $624 in Trollhattan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Trollhattan pays 566% 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: $47 in Phuket vs $80 in Trollhattan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $336 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 566% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $624 in Trollhattan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $155 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 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 Phuket or Trollhattan?
At $1,247 in Phuket versus $1,607 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.