😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,766 in Stenungsund versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,745 in Stenungsund versus $2,286 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,724 in Stenungsund versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Stenungsund is roughly 40% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Stenungsund is 31% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.42SEK 127
$4.56฿150
194.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.4SEK 658
$46.63฿1,535
48.90%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.26SEK 87.8
$8.47฿279
9.33%
Cappuccino
$4.66SEK 44.16
$3.03฿99.7
53.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57SEK 14.84
$0.69฿22.69
127.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43SEK 23.04
$0.37฿12.04
556.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.51SEK 71.2
$2.49฿81.9
201.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.23SEK 68.6
$3.66฿120
97.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.52SEK 14.40
$2.18฿71.8
-30.28%
White Bread(500g)
$3.05SEK 28.92
$1.90฿62.6
60.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.02SEK 38.16
$2.20฿72.4
82.73%
Eggs
$3.87SEK 36.67
$2.22฿73.2
74.32%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.84SEK 131
$19.99฿658
-30.77%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.80SEK 112
$3.66฿121
222.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.80SEK 150
$13.25฿436
19.25%
Apples(1kg)
$3.49SEK 33.05
$3.23฿106
8.05%
Banana(1kg)
$2.61SEK 24.79
$1.70฿55.9
53.53%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.59SEK 15.08
$2.39฿78.8
-33.47%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.69SEK 53.9
$2.08฿68.4
173.56%
Potato(1kg)
$1.49SEK 14.15
$1.59฿52.4
-6.29%
Onion(1kg)
$2.14SEK 20.29
$1.48฿48.83
44.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.77SEK 26.26
$1.03฿33.90
168.93%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.70SEK 16.11
$0.52฿17.01
226.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.33SEK 69.5
$4.25฿140
72.47%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.41SEK 79.7
$18.79฿618
-55.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72SEK 16.33
$1.76฿57.8
-2.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87SEK 17.75
$2.76฿90.8
-32.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.66SEK 25.22
$1.36฿44.79
95.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$75.1SEK 712
$11.36฿374
560.92%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.62SEK 53.3
$3.14฿103
78.98%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.67SEK 15.80
$1.04฿34.10
60.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$21.18SEK 201
$13.77฿453
53.81%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.92SEK 18.17
$1.34฿44.26
43.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.9KSEK 312.1K
$27.7K฿911.1K
18.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8KSEK 329.7K
$33.9K฿1.1M
2.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$91.0SEK 862
$124฿4,069
-26.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.43SEK 270
$13.52฿445
110.28%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.33SEK 354
$18.69฿615
99.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.99SEK 379
$61.8฿2,035
-35.31%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.63SEK 243
$17.25฿568
48.58%
Cinema Ticket
$15.83SEK 150
$9.14฿301
73.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$144SEK 1,369
$703฿23.1K
-79.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$738SEK 7,000
$15.9K฿522.5K
-95.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103SEK 977
$59.5฿1,958
73.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.24SEK 419
$35.07฿1,154
26.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114SEK 1,079
$115฿3,795
-1.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153SEK 1,446
$84.1฿2,767
81.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$835SEK 7,922
$619฿20.4K
35.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$651SEK 6,177
$433฿14.2K
50.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,378SEK 13.1K
$2,062฿67.9K
-33.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,075SEK 10.2K
$1,511฿49.7K
-28.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,708SEK 44.6K
$3,646฿120.0K
29.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,916SEK 27.7K
$2,626฿86.4K
11.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,055SEK 19.5K
$507฿16.7K
305.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.53
5.33
-15.01%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Stenungsund: June 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $835 in Stenungsund and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Stenungsund pays 305% 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 Stenungsund vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $363 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
Stenungsund vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Stenungsund?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Stenungsund or Phuket?
Stenungsund pays 305% 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 Stenungsund and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $835 in Stenungsund versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $144 in Stenungsund versus $703 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 Stenungsund and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Stenungsund. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Stenungsund or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,766 in Stenungsund, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Stenungsund. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Stenungsund or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Stenungsund, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Stenungsund or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Stenungsund 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 40% less than in Stenungsund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Stenungsund vs other spots: cost of living compared