Cost of Living Comparison Between Ao Nang and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ao Nang and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $982 in Ao Nang versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,512 in Ao Nang versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,041 in Ao Nang versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Ao Nang costs roughly 20% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ao Nang 28% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 ฿99.9

$4.41 ฿147

-32.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.17 ฿807

$32.26 ฿1,077

-25.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 ฿333

$8.93 ฿298

11.65%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.90 ฿96.6

-42.07%

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

$0.75 ฿25.12

$0.88 ฿29.38

-14.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.80

$0.48 ฿16.06

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 ฿68.5

$2.35 ฿78.5

-12.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.72 ฿124

-17.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.61 ฿87.2

$1.87 ฿62.3

39.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 ฿49.33

$1.47 ฿48.94

0.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.26

$1.55 ฿51.8

-14.19%

Eggs

$2.84 ฿94.9

$2.10 ฿70.1

35.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.85 ฿529

$19.59 ฿654

-19.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.3

$3.42 ฿114

-21.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 ฿339

$11.38 ฿380

-10.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 ฿100

$2.98 ฿99.6

1.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 ฿34.89

$1.68 ฿56.2

-37.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.7

$2.21 ฿73.7

-1.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 ฿62.4

$2.16 ฿72.1

-13.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.1

$1.52 ฿50.9

-1.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.10

$1.34 ฿44.67

-17.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ฿37.36

$1.13 ฿37.67

-0.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.23

$0.55 ฿18.24

-10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿148

$4.26 ฿142

4.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.47 ฿550

$19.09 ฿637

-13.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.78 ฿59.4

-2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ฿96.4

$2.78 ฿92.9

3.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.77

$2.23 ฿74.4

-60.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.82 ฿1,196

$22.74 ฿759

57.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ฿43.65

$3.03 ฿101

-56.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 ฿36.59

$1.02 ฿34.15

7.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 ฿170

$3.89 ฿130

30.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.98

$1.49 ฿49.77

-9.40%

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

$26.1K ฿870.5K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-1.89%

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

$29.0K ฿968.9K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

7.39%

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

$109 ฿3,641

$102 ฿3,420

6.44%

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

$8.68 ฿290

$11.33 ฿378

-23.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.19 ฿574

$17.40 ฿581

-1.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.89 ฿1,365

$52.1 ฿1,738

-21.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.24 ฿475

$11.07 ฿370

28.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ฿224

$7.69 ฿257

-12.61%

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

$566 ฿18.9K

$561 ฿18.7K

0.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K ฿364.3K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-5.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 ฿1,698

$63.0 ฿2,104

-19.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.32 ฿979

$29.52 ฿986

-0.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 ฿2,620

$98.0 ฿3,272

-19.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 ฿2,560

$88.5 ฿2,954

-13.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 ฿11.9K

$738 ฿24.6K

-51.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ฿10.0K

$482 ฿16.1K

-37.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 ฿32.3K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-54.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 ฿18.9K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-53.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,830 ฿61.1K

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-49.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,807 ฿60.3K

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-30.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,270 ฿42.4K

$494 ฿16.5K

157.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Ao Nang: September 15, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $356 in Ao Nang and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ao Nang pays 157% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Ao Nang vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $274 per month, with Ao Nang 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

Ao Nang vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ao Nang and Phuket differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($982 vs $1,232 including rent). Ao Nang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 157% higher in Ao Nang, 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: $356 in Ao Nang versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ao Nang – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $982 per month in Ao Nang versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $982 in Ao Nang versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ao Nang but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ao Nang 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, Ao Nang 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 Ao Nang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.