Cost of Living Comparison Between Acosta and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Acosta and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,679 in Acosta versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,704 in Acosta versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,730 in Acosta versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Acosta is roughly 33% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Acosta is 22% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.39 ₡5,546

$4.66 ฿154

165.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 ₡25.5K

$32.22 ฿1,065

76.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 ₡5,106

$8.68 ฿287

31.45%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₡1,898

$2.90 ฿95.8

46.21%

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

$2.55 ₡1,142

$0.84 ฿27.89

203.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₡853

$0.49 ฿16.16

289.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 ₡1,509

$2.48 ฿82.0

35.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 ₡1,977

$3.73 ฿123

18.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,094

$1.89 ฿62.3

29.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 ₡1,273

$1.41 ฿46.54

101.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 ₡1,147

$1.62 ฿53.6

58.02%

Eggs

$3.54 ₡1,583

$2.24 ฿74.1

58.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 ₡4,815

$19.84 ฿656

-45.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.61 ₡4,747

$3.48 ฿115

204.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 ₡6,448

$11.37 ฿376

26.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ₡2,342

$2.90 ฿95.8

80.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ₡750

$1.72 ฿57.0

-2.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 ₡1,499

$2.27 ฿75.1

47.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.43 ₡1,537

$2.13 ฿70.4

61.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 ₡1,424

$1.47 ฿48.72

116.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 ₡1,397

$1.42 ฿46.92

119.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₡508

$1.10 ฿36.25

3.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₡1,227

$0.60 ฿19.76

356.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 ₡2,633

$4.31 ฿142

36.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.76 ₡7,499

$18.60 ฿615

-9.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,192

$1.80 ฿59.5

47.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ₡1,174

$2.97 ฿98.0

-11.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 ₡616

$2.25 ฿74.2

-38.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ₡1,074

$3.10 ฿102

-22.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 ₡705

$1.08 ฿35.56

46.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ₡3,924

$3.87 ฿128

126.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 ₡690

$1.43 ฿47.16

7.69%

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

$22.3K ₡10.0M

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-19.80%

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

$34.7K ₡15.5M

$27.0K ฿891.5K

28.67%

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

$94.9 ₡42.5K

$105 ฿3,462

-9.47%

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

$30.57 ₡13.7K

$11.39 ฿376

168.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 ₡26.9K

$17.54 ฿580

242.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.9 ₡32.6K

$54.3 ฿1,795

34.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 ₡3,653

$7.78 ฿257

4.88%

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

$856 ₡383.3K

$576 ฿19.0K

48.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ₡7.7M

$11.6K ฿382.7K

48.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 ₡32.3K

$63.6 ฿2,103

13.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 ₡25.6K

$29.10 ฿961

96.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.3K

$96.2 ฿3,179

35.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₡59.3K

$90.0 ฿2,974

47.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₡353.2K

$733 ฿24.2K

7.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 ₡283.7K

$501 ฿16.5K

26.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 ₡835.0K

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-12.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 ₡576.1K

$1,252 ฿41.4K

2.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,939 ₡867.9K

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-45.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,497 ₡669.9K

$508 ฿16.8K

194.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

5.57

57.63%

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

Last update for Acosta: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $789 in Acosta and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Acosta pays 195% 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: $57.0 in Acosta vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $275 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

Acosta vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Acosta and Phuket differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,679 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 195% higher in Acosta, 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: $789 in Acosta versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Acosta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,679 per month in Acosta versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,679 in Acosta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Acosta. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Acosta 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 33% less than in Acosta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.