Cost of Living Comparison Between Argos and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Argos and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,290 per month in Argos vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,854 per month in Argos vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,418 per month in Argos vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Argos costs about 3% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Argos and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Argos 3% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.40 €9.98

$4.55 ฿153

150.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.01 €32.38

$46.18 ฿1,554

-19.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 €6.96

$8.84 ฿298

-10.07%

Cappuccino

$2.60 €2.28

$3.06 ฿103

-15.03%

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

$1.66 €1.45

$0.73 ฿24.42

127.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 €0.49

$0.40 ฿13.40

42.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 €2.58

$2.43 ฿81.8

21.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 €3.06

$3.78 ฿127

-7.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.26 ฿76.0

-42.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 €1.19

$1.81 ฿60.9

-24.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 €1.45

$2.25 ฿75.8

-26.22%

Eggs

$3.50 €3.06

$2.25 ฿75.6

55.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 €9.86

$19.51 ฿656

-42.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 €5.70

$3.65 ฿123

78.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.07 €7.94

$13.05 ฿439

-30.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 €1.29

$3.23 ฿109

-54.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 €1.60

$1.62 ฿54.4

12.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 €0.78

$2.38 ฿80.2

-62.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 €1.71

$2.03 ฿68.2

-3.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 €0.89

$1.53 ฿51.6

-33.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.50 ฿50.5

-24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 €0.78

$0.98 ฿32.93

-9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.53

$0.52 ฿17.40

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.94 €4.32

$4.44 ฿149

11.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.99

$18.32 ฿616

-68.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.85

$1.86 ฿62.7

13.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 €3.36

$2.68 ฿90.2

43.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 €1.40

$1.41 ฿47.49

13.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.03 €41.15

$11.70 ฿394

301.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 €3.52

$3.11 ฿105

29.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 €0.90

$1.04 ฿35.08

-0.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.72 €10.25

$14.11 ฿475

-16.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.78

$1.31 ฿44.13

55.73%

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

$32.3K €28.2K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

15.98%

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

$24.8K €21.7K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-25.42%

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

$186 €163

$122 ฿4,120

52.14%

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

$22.33 €19.54

$13.59 ฿457

64.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.26 €29.10

$18.70 ฿629

77.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 €50.9

$60.5 ฿2,035

-3.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.68 €22.47

$16.98 ฿572

51.24%

Cinema Ticket

$9.69 €8.48

$9.07 ฿305

6.84%

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

$508 €445

$706 ฿23.8K

-28.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,392 €5,592

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-59.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 €55.7

$58.6 ฿1,970

8.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.72 €28.63

$35.36 ฿1,190

-7.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 €59.8

$115 ฿3,885

-40.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.7 €51.4

$83.7 ฿2,818

-29.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 €431

$626 ฿21.1K

-21.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 €340

$445 ฿15.0K

-12.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$787 €689

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-61.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 €530

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-59.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,558 €2,238

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-26.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,667 €2,333

$2,577 ฿86.7K

3.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$734 €642

$500 ฿16.8K

46.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.33

-17.07%

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

Last update for Argos: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $492 in Argos versus $626 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 47% higher in Argos, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Argos versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $289 – making Argos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Argos vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Argos costs about 3% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,935 per month in Argos and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,290 in Argos and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 302% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Argos at $1,290. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Argos it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,250 versus $1,290 in Argos. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Argos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.