😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,094 in Skelleftea versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,153 in Skelleftea versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,211 in Skelleftea versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Skelleftea is roughly 66% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Skelleftea is 56% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.69SEK 137
$4.70฿153
212.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.5SEK 640
$45.37฿1,482
51.07%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.94SEK 121
$8.43฿275
53.50%
Cappuccino
$4.60SEK 42.94
$2.93฿95.6
57.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48SEK 23.15
$0.69฿22.40
259.42%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02SEK 18.83
$0.37฿11.99
445.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.77SEK 81.8
$2.41฿78.6
263.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.38SEK 78.2
$3.72฿122
125.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.67SEK 15.60
$2.23฿72.9
-25.11%
White Bread(500g)
$2.66SEK 24.83
$1.83฿59.8
45.36%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.15SEK 48.03
$2.17฿70.8
137.33%
Eggs
$4.84SEK 45.19
$2.21฿72.3
119.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.61SEK 108
$19.74฿645
-41.19%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.53SEK 108
$3.63฿119
217.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$22.74SEK 212
$13.53฿442
68.07%
Apples(1kg)
$2.56SEK 23.92
$3.28฿107
-21.95%
Banana(1kg)
$2.56SEK 23.86
$1.61฿52.6
59.01%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.24SEK 30.25
$2.41฿78.6
34.44%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.65SEK 34.02
$2.08฿68.1
75.48%
Potato(1kg)
$2.13SEK 19.90
$1.53฿49.93
39.22%
Onion(1kg)
$1.60SEK 14.97
$1.48฿48.36
8.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.30SEK 21.46
$0.99฿32.29
132.32%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.49SEK 13.94
$0.51฿16.67
192.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.08SEK 66.0
$4.41฿144
60.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.32SEK 152
$19.38฿633
-15.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86SEK 17.37
$1.78฿58.1
4.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70SEK 15.83
$2.71฿88.6
-37.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.13SEK 38.57
$1.37฿44.79
201.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$57.5SEK 537
$11.39฿372
404.83%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$8.34SEK 77.8
$3.02฿98.6
176.16%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.01SEK 18.80
$0.99฿32.48
103.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$59.0SEK 551
$14.10฿461
318.65%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.89SEK 17.63
$1.36฿44.51
38.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.9KSEK 306.7K
$28.2K฿921.1K
16.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.6KSEK 313.2K
$32.9K฿1.1M
2.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$174SEK 1,619
$122฿3,975
42.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.92SEK 298
$13.57฿443
135.22%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.36SEK 265
$18.31฿598
54.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.29SEK 376
$60.2฿1,967
-33.10%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.55SEK 238
$17.14฿560
49.07%
Cinema Ticket
$15.88SEK 148
$8.69฿284
82.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$148SEK 1,380
$693฿22.6K
-78.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,153SEK 38.8K
$15.7K฿512.3K
-73.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.4SEK 927
$59.5฿1,944
66.89%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.17SEK 384
$34.77฿1,136
18.41%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.1SEK 794
$115฿3,743
-25.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$163SEK 1,524
$83.3฿2,720
96.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,295SEK 12.1K
$613฿20.0K
111.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$880SEK 8,208
$437฿14.3K
101.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,760SEK 16.4K
$2,094฿68.4K
-15.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,408SEK 13.1K
$1,509฿49.3K
-6.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,771SEK 35.2K
$3,749฿122.5K
0.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,201SEK 29.9K
$2,616฿85.4K
22.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Skelleftea
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,693SEK 25.1K
$508฿16.6K
430.07%
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: June 2, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,295 in Skelleftea and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Skelleftea pays 430% 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: $69.0 in Skelleftea vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $293 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 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Skelleftea or Phuket?
Skelleftea pays 430% more on average, 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: $1,295 in Skelleftea versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $148 in Skelleftea versus $693 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 Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Skelleftea. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Skelleftea or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,094 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 66% 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