Cost of Living Comparison Between Vasteras and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Vasteras and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,759 in Vasteras versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,796 in Vasteras versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,833 in Vasteras versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Vasteras is roughly 41% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.94 SEK 145

$4.55 ฿153

228.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.2 SEK 660

$46.18 ฿1,553

47.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.55 SEK 102

$8.84 ฿297

19.34%

Cappuccino

$4.66 SEK 45.12

$3.06 ฿103

52.29%

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

$2.72 SEK 26.32

$0.73 ฿24.40

272.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SEK 23.97

$0.40 ฿13.39

520.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.51 SEK 72.7

$2.43 ฿81.8

209.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 SEK 71.3

$3.78 ฿127

94.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 14.77

$2.26 ฿76.0

-32.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 SEK 25.55

$1.81 ฿60.9

45.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 36.69

$2.25 ฿75.8

68.44%

Eggs

$3.89 SEK 37.66

$2.25 ฿75.5

72.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 SEK 117

$19.51 ฿656

-37.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.46 SEK 121

$3.65 ฿123

241.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.76 SEK 153

$13.05 ฿439

20.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 SEK 32.00

$3.23 ฿109

2.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 25.40

$1.62 ฿54.4

61.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 34.98

$2.38 ฿80.1

51.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.64 SEK 35.26

$2.03 ฿68.1

79.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 15.06

$1.53 ฿51.6

1.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 SEK 18.72

$1.50 ฿50.5

28.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 SEK 26.76

$0.98 ฿32.91

181.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 16.09

$0.52 ฿17.39

219.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.40 SEK 71.6

$4.44 ฿149

66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 SEK 121

$18.32 ฿616

-31.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 SEK 13.48

$1.86 ฿62.7

-25.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SEK 18.92

$2.68 ฿90.1

-27.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.32 SEK 32.11

$1.41 ฿47.46

135.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.1 SEK 707

$11.70 ฿393

524.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.75 SEK 36.28

$3.11 ฿105

20.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.36

$1.04 ฿35.06

52.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.9 SEK 803

$14.11 ฿474

487.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 SEK 19.22

$1.31 ฿44.10

51.15%

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

$33.0K SEK 319.3K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

18.58%

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

$34.0K SEK 329.5K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

2.45%

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

$88.6 SEK 857

$122 ฿4,118

-27.67%

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

$28.38 SEK 275

$13.59 ฿457

108.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.74 SEK 356

$18.70 ฿629

96.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.70 SEK 355

$60.5 ฿2,034

-39.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.36 SEK 207

$16.98 ฿571

25.80%

Cinema Ticket

$19.33 SEK 187

$9.07 ฿305

113.12%

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

$157 SEK 1,524

$706 ฿23.8K

-77.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,227 SEK 50.6K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-66.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.5 SEK 925

$58.6 ฿1,969

63.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 SEK 406

$35.36 ฿1,189

18.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 SEK 880

$115 ฿3,883

-21.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 SEK 1,187

$83.7 ฿2,816

46.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 SEK 7,894

$626 ฿21.0K

30.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 SEK 5,849

$445 ฿15.0K

35.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 SEK 14.3K

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-27.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 SEK 11.0K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-24.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,787 SEK 36.7K

$3,483 ฿117.1K

8.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,478 SEK 24.0K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-3.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,016 SEK 29.2K

$500 ฿16.8K

503.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

5.33

-8.63%

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

Last update for Vasteras: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $815 in Vasteras and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vasteras pays 503% 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 Vasteras vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 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

Vasteras vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 503% higher in Vasteras, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $815 in Vasteras versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $157 in Vasteras versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Vasteras. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,759 in Vasteras, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Vasteras. 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 Vasteras, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Vasteras 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Vasteras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.