Cost of Living Comparison Between Apia and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Apia and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $874 in Apia versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Apia versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,844 in Apia versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Apia costs roughly 29% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Apia 36% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$46.94 WST 129

$4.41 ฿147

964.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.67 WST 101

$32.26 ฿1,074

13.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.38 WST 39.52

$8.93 ฿297

61.03%

Cappuccino

$2.96 WST 8.13

$2.90 ฿96.4

2.07%

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

$1.87 WST 5.14

$0.88 ฿29.30

112.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 WST 3.84

$0.48 ฿16.01

191.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 WST 9.79

$2.35 ฿78.3

51.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 WST 10.26

$3.72 ฿124

0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 WST 4.91

$1.87 ฿62.1

-4.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 WST 2.17

$1.47 ฿48.81

-46.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 WST 5.10

$1.55 ฿51.7

20.00%

Eggs

$4.42 WST 12.15

$2.10 ฿70.0

110.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.96 WST 2.62

$19.59 ฿652

-95.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 WST 10.35

$3.42 ฿114

10.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 WST 22.63

$11.38 ฿379

-27.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 WST 14.22

$2.98 ฿99.3

73.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 WST 5.12

$1.68 ฿56.1

10.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 WST 4.94

$2.21 ฿73.5

-18.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 WST 12.27

$2.16 ฿72.0

106.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.58 WST 9.84

$1.52 ฿50.8

135.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 WST 3.08

$1.34 ฿44.55

-16.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 WST 3.40

$0.55 ฿18.19

125.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.10 WST 16.76

$4.26 ฿142

43.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.73 WST 45.96

$19.09 ฿635

-12.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 WST 5.06

$1.78 ฿59.2

3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 WST 9.85

$2.78 ฿92.6

28.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.68 WST 10.11

$2.23 ฿74.2

65.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 WST 14.79

$3.03 ฿101

77.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.46 WST 15.00

$1.02 ฿34.06

435.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.73 WST 59.7

$3.89 ฿130

458.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 WST 2.97

$1.49 ฿49.63

-27.52%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

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

$18.67 WST 51.3

$102 ฿3,411

-81.78%

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

$18.48 WST 50.8

$11.33 ฿377

63.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 WST 101

$17.40 ฿579

111.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,858 WST 5,105

$1,226 ฿40.8K

51.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

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 Apia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $37.00 in Apia vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $274, with Apia 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

Apia vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Apia wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Apia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,311 in Apia 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.

All in, you'll spend $874 per month in Apia versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $874 in Apia versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Apia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Apia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Apia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $874 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Apia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Apia 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 Apia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.