Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Uppsala

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $1,978 in Uppsala, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
96

Cost of Living Index in Uppsala
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Uppsala Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Uppsala

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,978

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Uppsala

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Uppsala actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $1,978 in Uppsala.

Phuket $1,207
Uppsala $1,978

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $3,051 in Uppsala.

Phuket $2,037
Uppsala $3,051

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $4,124 in Uppsala.

Phuket $2,867
Uppsala $4,124

Living in Phuket costs roughly 39% less than in Uppsala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Uppsala is 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 ฿153

$14.90 SEK 148

-69.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.48 ฿1,086

$81.0 SEK 802

-59.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ฿286

$9.87 SEK 97.8

-13.37%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.0

$4.98 SEK 49.39

-45.38%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 ฿31.25

$3.05 SEK 30.25

-69.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.39

$2.40 SEK 23.74

-79.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

$7.96 SEK 78.9

-67.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$9.87 SEK 97.8

-61.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.1

$1.81 SEK 17.91

-3.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.82

$2.78 SEK 27.57

-48.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.0

$4.59 SEK 45.48

-66.67%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$5.05 SEK 50.1

-57.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ฿640

$10.12 SEK 100

89.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿110

$14.77 SEK 146

-77.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿372

$17.86 SEK 177

-37.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.5

$4.18 SEK 41.42

-29.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$2.73 SEK 27.06

-38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿76.8

$3.49 SEK 34.63

-34.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿71.3

$5.12 SEK 50.7

-58.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.1

$1.94 SEK 19.20

-21.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.55

$1.70 SEK 16.80

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ฿37.44

$2.64 SEK 26.21

-57.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.28 SEK 12.68

-57.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$7.96 SEK 78.9

-46.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 ฿608

$9.91 SEK 98.2

83.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.2

$2.47 SEK 24.51

-29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.3

$2.52 SEK 24.94

10.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿74.1

$3.92 SEK 38.80

-43.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

$111 SEK 1,103

-80.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ฿97.3

$5.33 SEK 52.8

-45.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ฿33.79

$1.32 SEK 13.13

-23.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ฿128

$61.3 SEK 607

-93.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.85

$1.77 SEK 17.54

-15.82%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.7K ฿891.6K

$33.2K SEK 329.1K

-19.68%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.7K ฿892.7K

$32.1K SEK 318.3K

-16.86%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$99.4 ฿3,321

$109 SEK 1,077

-8.61%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.28 ฿377

$15.95 SEK 158

-29.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 ฿580

$47.42 SEK 470

-63.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ฿1,747

$39.13 SEK 388

33.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

$23.27 SEK 231

-53.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ฿253

$18.61 SEK 184

-59.32%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$558 ฿18.7K

$126 SEK 1,248

343.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ฿2,102

$105 SEK 1,037

-39.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.58 ฿955

$48.48 SEK 480

-41.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ฿3,213

$94.4 SEK 935

1.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 ฿2,943

$200 SEK 1,982

-55.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ฿24.4K

$892 SEK 8,836

-18.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ฿15.4K

$707 SEK 7,009

-34.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ฿70.0K

$1,750 SEK 17.3K

19.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 ฿40.8K

$1,138 SEK 11.3K

7.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,459 ฿115.6K

$5,186 SEK 51.4K

-33.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 ฿83.2K

$2,595 SEK 25.7K

-4.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$493 ฿16.5K

$3,008 SEK 29.8K

-83.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.8

46.58%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Uppsala: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$460 38.1%

Uppsala

$707 35.8% 53.8% $247

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.2%

Uppsala

$391 19.8% 46.3% $124

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$128 10.6%

Uppsala

$172 8.7% 34.4% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Uppsala

$201 10.2% 62.4% $77

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10.1%

Uppsala

$290 14.7% 139% $169

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$67 5.6%

Uppsala

$76 3.9% 13.2% $8.9

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.2%

Uppsala

$139 7% 257% $100

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $892 in Uppsala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Uppsala pays 510% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $81.0 in Uppsala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $391 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇸🇪 Uppsala

🕒 Local time

06:34 6:34 AM

01:34 1:34 AM

5 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

166,698

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Uppsala 8,730 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Uppsala

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Uppsala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 510% lower in Uppsala. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Phuket versus $892 in Uppsala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $558 in Phuket versus $126 in Uppsala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Uppsala. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,207 in Phuket versus $1,978 in Uppsala, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Uppsala. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Uppsala, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Uppsala are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Uppsala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.