😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,789 in Stenungsund versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,786 in Stenungsund versus $2,276 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,784 in Stenungsund versus $3,291 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Stenungsund is roughly 42% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Stenungsund is 34% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.16SEK 128
$4.53฿153
190.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.9SEK 659
$46.36฿1,562
46.40%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.33SEK 90.6
$8.65฿291
7.86%
Cappuccino
$4.52SEK 43.88
$3.09฿104
46.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60SEK 15.58
$0.68฿22.85
135.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47SEK 23.98
$0.37฿12.41
567.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.26SEK 70.5
$2.42฿81.4
200.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.17SEK 69.6
$3.81฿128
88.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.50SEK 14.59
$2.18฿73.4
-31.19%
White Bread(500g)
$3.17SEK 30.80
$1.82฿61.2
74.18%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.93SEK 38.14
$2.18฿73.3
80.28%
Eggs
$4.02SEK 39.04
$2.24฿75.3
79.46%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.03SEK 136
$19.93฿671
-29.60%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.92SEK 116
$3.64฿123
227.47%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.56SEK 151
$13.56฿457
14.75%
Apples(1kg)
$3.54SEK 34.42
$3.29฿111
7.60%
Banana(1kg)
$2.71SEK 26.36
$1.69฿56.8
60.36%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.56SEK 15.14
$2.33฿78.6
-33.05%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.88SEK 57.1
$2.03฿68.3
189.66%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55SEK 15.09
$1.60฿53.9
-3.13%
Onion(1kg)
$2.09SEK 20.29
$1.49฿50.4
40.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.66SEK 25.84
$1.01฿34.11
163.37%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.75SEK 17.04
$0.48฿16.06
264.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.53SEK 73.1
$4.45฿150
69.21%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.21SEK 79.7
$18.63฿628
-55.93%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73SEK 16.83
$1.79฿60.2
-3.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91SEK 18.53
$2.80฿94.2
-31.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.62SEK 25.46
$1.42฿47.81
84.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$73.8SEK 716
$11.33฿382
551.02%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.75SEK 55.9
$3.09฿104
86.08%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.61SEK 15.61
$1.04฿35.13
54.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$21.44SEK 208
$13.63฿459
57.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.98SEK 19.24
$1.31฿44.15
51.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.9KSEK 319.9K
$27.3K฿919.1K
20.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9KSEK 329.2K
$33.2K฿1.1M
2.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$91.1SEK 885
$123฿4,149
-26.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.93SEK 271
$13.81฿465
102.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.03SEK 350
$18.52฿624
94.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.16SEK 400
$60.4฿2,034
-31.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.68SEK 249
$16.80฿566
52.86%
Cinema Ticket
$15.97SEK 155
$8.89฿299
79.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$143SEK 1,389
$687฿23.1K
-79.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$749SEK 7,273
$15.6K฿523.9K
-95.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$106SEK 1,026
$57.6฿1,942
83.27%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.56SEK 433
$34.66฿1,168
28.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114SEK 1,109
$115฿3,872
-0.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$158SEK 1,536
$84.9฿2,860
86.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$843SEK 8,184
$618฿20.8K
36.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$658SEK 6,389
$443฿14.9K
48.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,407SEK 13.7K
$2,047฿69.0K
-31.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,071SEK 10.4K
$1,506฿50.7K
-28.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,497SEK 43.7K
$3,568฿120.2K
26.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,089SEK 30.0K
$2,511฿84.6K
23.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stenungsund
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,977SEK 19.2K
$503฿16.9K
293.32%
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: July 21, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $843 in Stenungsund and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Stenungsund pays 293% 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 Stenungsund vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $292 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 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Stenungsund or Phuket?
Average pay runs 293% higher in Stenungsund, 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: $843 in Stenungsund versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $143 in Stenungsund versus $687 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 in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Stenungsund. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Stenungsund or in Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,789 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 42% 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