😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,588 in Alcala de Guadaira versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,365 in Alcala de Guadaira versus $2,255 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,141 in Alcala de Guadaira versus $3,279 in Phuket.
😐Living in Alcala de Guadaira is roughly 29% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Alcala de Guadaira is 19% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Alcala de Guadaira
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.83€11.81
$4.63฿151
198.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.1€49.60
$46.84฿1,523
24.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.56€9.02
$8.84฿287
19.46%
Cappuccino
$2.24€1.91
$3.00฿97.4
-25.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04€1.74
$0.74฿24.11
175.68%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66€1.41
$0.37฿11.88
348.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.34€2.00
$2.44฿79.3
-4.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.54€3.02
$3.61฿117
-1.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Alcala de Guadaira
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.15€0.98
$2.26฿73.5
-49.12%
White Bread(500g)
$1.55€1.32
$1.84฿59.8
-15.76%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.76€1.51
$2.24฿73.0
-21.43%
Eggs
$3.42€2.92
$2.32฿75.3
47.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.57€11.59
$19.67฿639
-31.01%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.46€8.08
$3.65฿119
159.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.02€14.53
$13.10฿426
29.92%
Apples(1kg)
$2.38€2.04
$3.39฿110
-29.79%
Banana(1kg)
$1.78€1.52
$1.64฿53.4
8.54%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.07€0.91
$2.41฿78.5
-55.60%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.87€1.59
$2.03฿66.0
-7.88%
Potato(1kg)
$1.77€1.51
$1.56฿50.6
13.46%
Onion(1kg)
$1.22€1.04
$1.50฿48.66
-18.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.11€0.94
$1.02฿33.30
8.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61€0.52
$0.49฿15.91
24.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.54€5.58
$4.45฿145
46.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.97€5.10
$18.88฿614
-68.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38€1.18
$1.78฿57.7
-22.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15€1.83
$2.75฿89.5
-21.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Alcala de Guadaira
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.64€1.40
$1.40฿45.54
17.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.34€29.33
$11.48฿373
199.13%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.25€1.92
$3.12฿101
-27.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.06€0.90
$1.00฿32.48
6.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.03€11.98
$14.09฿458
-0.43%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.83€1.56
$1.35฿43.93
35.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K€32.6K
$27.2K฿883.7K
40.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.5K€25.2K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-10.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alcala de Guadaira
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$118€101
$125฿4,063
-5.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.59€20.15
$13.57฿441
73.84%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.62€31.28
$18.52฿602
97.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Alcala de Guadaira
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.95€40.95
$61.5฿1,999
-22.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.27€13.04
$16.84฿547
-9.32%
Cinema Ticket
$9.02€7.70
$9.19฿299
-1.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Alcala de Guadaira
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$392€335
$698฿22.7K
-43.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,517€5,566
$15.6K฿506.9K
-58.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Alcala de Guadaira
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.1€73.5
$57.8฿1,878
49.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.00€35.01
$35.24฿1,146
16.35%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$75.5€64.5
$113฿3,677
-33.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108€92.0
$86.4฿2,808
24.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Alcala de Guadaira
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$855€730
$616฿20.0K
38.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$698€596
$446฿14.5K
56.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,326€1,133
$2,048฿66.6K
-35.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,013€865
$1,492฿48.5K
-32.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,464€2,958
$3,779฿122.8K
-8.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,353€2,010
$2,649฿86.1K
-11.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Alcala de Guadaira
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$524฿17.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.51
5.33
-34.15%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Alcala de Guadaira: April 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $855 in Alcala de Guadaira and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $58.0 in Alcala de Guadaira vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $265 vs $292, with Alcala de Guadaira cheaper for home cooking.
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
Alcala de Guadaira vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Alcala de Guadaira and Phuket?
Alcala de Guadaira and Phuket differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,588 vs $1,232 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Alcala de Guadaira compared to Phuket?
You'd need roughly $2,382 in Alcala de Guadaira and $1,847 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Alcala de Guadaira and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $855 in Alcala de Guadaira versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Alcala de Guadaira pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $58.0 in Alcala de Guadaira. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,588 in Alcala de Guadaira, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Alcala de Guadaira. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Alcala de Guadaira and Phuket?
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.
Is Alcala de Guadaira or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Alcala de Guadaira 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.
Where should expats move: Alcala de Guadaira or Phuket?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Alcala de Guadaira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Alcala de Guadaira vs other spots: cost of living compared