Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,163 per month in Arima vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,925 per month in Arima vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,687 per month in Arima vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Arima is about 7% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Arima and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Arima 13% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.03 TTD 60.8

$4.55 ฿153

98.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 TTD 490

$46.18 ฿1,554

57.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 TTD 50.6

$8.84 ฿298

-15.16%

Cappuccino

$2.39 TTD 16.12

$3.06 ฿103

-21.90%

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

$0.94 TTD 6.36

$0.73 ฿24.42

28.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 TTD 5.07

$0.40 ฿13.40

87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 TTD 10.70

$2.43 ฿81.8

-34.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.51

$3.78 ฿127

-19.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 TTD 15.31

$2.26 ฿76.0

0.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 TTD 15.96

$1.81 ฿60.9

30.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 TTD 15.29

$2.25 ฿75.8

0.89%

Eggs

$4.30 TTD 28.98

$2.25 ฿75.6

91.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.25 TTD 42.12

$19.51 ฿656

-67.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 TTD 39.27

$3.65 ฿123

59.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.17

$13.05 ฿439

-66.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 38.18

$3.23 ฿109

75.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 TTD 13.94

$1.62 ฿54.4

27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.45

$2.38 ฿80.2

83.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.48

$2.03 ฿68.2

115.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 TTD 6.73

$1.53 ฿51.6

-34.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 TTD 5.65

$1.50 ฿50.5

-44.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 TTD 9.83

$0.98 ฿32.93

48.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 TTD 7.72

$0.52 ฿17.40

119.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 TTD 28.92

$4.44 ฿149

-3.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.35 TTD 130

$18.32 ฿616

5.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 TTD 12.75

$1.86 ฿62.7

1.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 TTD 18.95

$2.68 ฿90.2

4.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 TTD 5.31

$1.41 ฿47.49

-43.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 TTD 6.19

$3.11 ฿105

-70.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 TTD 4.89

$1.04 ฿35.08

-30.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.64 TTD 98.7

$14.11 ฿475

3.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 TTD 6.33

$1.31 ฿44.13

-28.24%

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

$27.3K TTD 183.7K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-2.03%

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

$27.7K TTD 186.4K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-16.75%

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

$81.5 TTD 549

$122 ฿4,120

-33.44%

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

$43.65 TTD 294

$13.59 ฿457

221.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 TTD 422

$18.70 ฿629

235.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 TTD 322

$60.5 ฿2,035

-20.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$5.19 TTD 34.98

$9.07 ฿305

-42.78%

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

$131 TTD 881

$706 ฿23.8K

-81.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,074 TTD 47.7K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-55.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 TTD 345

$58.6 ฿1,970

-12.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.01 TTD 182

$35.36 ฿1,190

-23.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 TTD 859

$115 ฿3,885

10.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 TTD 505

$83.7 ฿2,818

-10.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 TTD 3,267

$626 ฿21.1K

-22.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 TTD 2,389

$445 ฿15.0K

-20.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 TTD 5,680

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-58.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 TTD 4,763

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-52.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 TTD 8,127

$500 ฿16.8K

141.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-43.71%

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

Last update for Arima: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Arima 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 141% higher in Arima, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Arima versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $289 – making Phuket 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

Arima vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 7% more than Arima, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,745 per month in Arima 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 Arima, 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 $1,163 in Arima and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $131 per month in Arima and $706 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arima, where all-in costs run around $1,163, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Arima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arima costs $1,163 versus $1,250 in Phuket. 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 Arima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.