Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vaxjo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vaxjo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,764 in Vaxjo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,643 in Vaxjo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,523 in Vaxjo.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 28% less than in Vaxjo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Vaxjo is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$12.51 SEK 117

-62.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$69.9 SEK 652

-35.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$10.44 SEK 97.5

-19.25%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$4.13 SEK 38.51

-29.06%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.24 SEK 11.60

-44.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.31 SEK 12.21

-71.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$7.49 SEK 69.9

-67.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$6.82 SEK 63.6

-45.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.80 SEK 16.78

23.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$2.32 SEK 21.67

-21.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$3.94 SEK 36.76

-44.92%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.92 SEK 36.62

-43.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$13.79 SEK 129

43.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$11.38 SEK 106

-68.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$13.72 SEK 128

-1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.69 SEK 34.46

-11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.69 SEK 25.11

-40.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.56 SEK 14.58

54.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$4.61 SEK 42.99

-54.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.55 SEK 14.48

-1.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.02 SEK 18.81

-26.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$2.76 SEK 25.74

-64.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.63 SEK 15.22

-68.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$7.13 SEK 66.5

-38.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$10.04 SEK 93.7

93.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.78 SEK 16.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.89 SEK 17.62

43.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$3.03 SEK 28.25

-54.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$67.6 SEK 631

-83.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$10.54 SEK 98.3

-71.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.65 SEK 15.36

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$21.48 SEK 200

-34.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.98 SEK 18.46

-31.31%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$32.4K SEK 302.0K

-12.86%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$32.2K SEK 300.2K

2.25%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$88.6 SEK 826

37.44%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$27.95 SEK 261

-51.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$32.23 SEK 301

-43.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$38.87 SEK 363

54.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$25.74 SEK 240

-33.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$16.62 SEK 155

-47.71%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$147 SEK 1,371

371.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$752 SEK 7,020

1985.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$106 SEK 993

-44.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$26.54 SEK 248

31.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$101 SEK 947

12.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$143 SEK 1,330

-41.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$845 SEK 7,889

-27.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$678 SEK 6,324

-35.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,571 SEK 14.7K

33.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$990 SEK 9,234

52.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$2,620 SEK 24.4K

-0.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$3,306 SEK 30.8K

-84.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.53

17.66%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Vaxjo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $845 in Vaxjo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vaxjo pays 551% 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 $70.0 in Vaxjo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $348 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 Vaxjo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Vaxjo earns 551% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $845 in Vaxjo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $147 in Vaxjo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Vaxjo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,764 in Vaxjo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Vaxjo. 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 Vaxjo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Vaxjo 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 39% less than in Vaxjo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.