😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,107 in Skelleftea versus $1,250 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,130 in Skelleftea versus $2,284 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,154 in Skelleftea versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Skelleftea is roughly 69% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Skelleftea is 58% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.85SEK 143
$4.55฿153
226.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.2SEK 657
$46.18฿1,550
47.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.24SEK 128
$8.84฿297
49.77%
Cappuccino
$4.80SEK 46.22
$3.06฿103
56.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54SEK 24.43
$0.73฿24.36
247.95%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99SEK 19.18
$0.40฿13.37
397.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$9.21SEK 88.7
$2.43฿81.6
279.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.56SEK 82.5
$3.78฿127
126.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.67SEK 16.13
$2.26฿75.8
-26.11%
White Bread(500g)
$2.63SEK 25.30
$1.81฿60.8
45.30%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.14SEK 49.55
$2.25฿75.7
128.44%
Eggs
$4.77SEK 45.99
$2.25฿75.4
112.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.52SEK 111
$19.51฿655
-40.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.31SEK 109
$3.65฿122
209.86%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$22.58SEK 218
$13.05฿438
73.03%
Apples(1kg)
$2.66SEK 25.68
$3.23฿109
-17.65%
Banana(1kg)
$2.63SEK 25.34
$1.62฿54.3
62.35%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.24SEK 31.19
$2.38฿80.0
36.13%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.79SEK 36.55
$2.03฿68.0
86.70%
Potato(1kg)
$2.14SEK 20.62
$1.53฿51.5
39.87%
Onion(1kg)
$1.59SEK 15.36
$1.50฿50.4
6.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.39SEK 23.03
$0.98฿32.85
143.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52SEK 14.62
$0.52฿17.36
192.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.21SEK 69.5
$4.44฿149
62.39%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.72SEK 151
$18.32฿615
-14.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86SEK 17.93
$1.86฿62.6
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67SEK 16.08
$2.68฿90.0
-37.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.19SEK 40.42
$1.41฿47.37
197.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$57.2SEK 551
$11.70฿393
388.46%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$8.23SEK 79.3
$3.11฿104
164.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.99SEK 19.16
$1.04฿35.00
91.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$60.2SEK 580
$14.11฿474
326.36%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.92SEK 18.49
$1.31฿44.02
46.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.9KSEK 316.9K
$27.8K฿933.8K
18.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5KSEK 332.8K
$33.2K฿1.1M
3.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$171SEK 1,646
$122฿4,110
39.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.44SEK 303
$13.59฿456
131.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.25SEK 272
$18.70฿628
51.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.08SEK 386
$60.5฿2,031
-33.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.39SEK 245
$16.98฿570
49.53%
Cinema Ticket
$16.00SEK 154
$9.07฿305
76.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$151SEK 1,456
$706฿23.7K
-78.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,070SEK 39.2K
$15.8K฿530.5K
-74.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.5SEK 950
$58.6฿1,965
68.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.03SEK 405
$35.36฿1,187
18.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.8SEK 807
$115฿3,876
-27.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$165SEK 1,588
$83.7฿2,811
96.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,278SEK 12.3K
$626฿21.0K
104.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$876SEK 8,446
$445฿14.9K
96.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,750SEK 16.9K
$2,040฿68.5K
-14.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,382SEK 13.3K
$1,492฿50.1K
-7.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,880SEK 37.4K
$3,483฿116.9K
11.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,733SEK 26.3K
$2,577฿86.5K
6.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,600SEK 25.1K
$500฿16.8K
420.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.5
5.33
-15.57%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Skelleftea: July 14, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,278 in Skelleftea and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Skelleftea pays 420% 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: $68.0 in Skelleftea vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $289 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
Skelleftea vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Skelleftea?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Skelleftea or Phuket?
Average pay runs 420% higher in Skelleftea, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Skelleftea and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,278 in Skelleftea versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $151 in Skelleftea versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Skelleftea and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Skelleftea. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Skelleftea or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,107 in Skelleftea, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Skelleftea. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Skelleftea or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Skelleftea, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Skelleftea or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Skelleftea and Phuket 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 69% less than in Skelleftea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Skelleftea vs other spots: cost of living compared