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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,286 per month in Arima vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Arima vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,002 per month in Arima vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Arima costs about 3% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Arima and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Arima 6% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.24 TTD 68.1

$4.56 ฿150

124.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 TTD 495

$32.62 ฿1,073

127.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.63 TTD 57.5

$8.90 ฿293

-3.03%

Cappuccino

$3.77 TTD 25.08

$2.80 ฿92.2

34.64%

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

$1.03 TTD 6.88

$0.88 ฿28.94

17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 TTD 4.83

$0.49 ฿16.08

48.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 TTD 12.31

$2.39 ฿78.5

-22.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 TTD 19.19

$3.71 ฿122

-22.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 TTD 15.92

$1.79 ฿58.8

33.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 TTD 15.83

$1.44 ฿47.40

65.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 TTD 19.41

$1.58 ฿52.1

84.81%

Eggs

$4.30 TTD 28.59

$2.13 ฿69.9

101.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.65 TTD 44.22

$19.92 ฿655

-66.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 TTD 44.34

$3.43 ฿113

94.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.91 TTD 59.3

$11.33 ฿372

-21.36%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 37.65

$2.95 ฿97.0

91.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 TTD 15.28

$1.72 ฿56.6

33.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.70 TTD 24.62

$2.32 ฿76.5

59.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 TTD 32.20

$2.08 ฿68.4

132.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 TTD 8.86

$1.47 ฿48.34

-9.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 TTD 6.16

$1.36 ฿44.65

-31.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 TTD 9.38

$1.10 ฿36.13

28.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 TTD 6.47

$0.57 ฿18.89

70.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 TTD 32.18

$4.27 ฿140

13.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.99 TTD 126

$18.42 ฿606

3.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 TTD 12.73

$1.87 ฿61.5

2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 TTD 19.54

$2.92 ฿96.1

0.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 TTD 6.70

$2.22 ฿73.0

-54.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 TTD 4.72

$3.03 ฿99.6

-76.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 TTD 5.02

$1.07 ฿35.32

-29.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.55 TTD 96.8

$3.93 ฿129

270.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 TTD 7.50

$1.49 ฿49.06

-24.16%

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

$27.2K TTD 181.3K

$27.1K ฿892.0K

0.44%

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

$35.8K TTD 238.3K

$27.5K ฿902.6K

30.44%

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

$89.5 TTD 595

$103 ฿3,380

-12.98%

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

$45.03 TTD 300

$10.99 ฿361

309.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 TTD 380

$17.51 ฿576

226.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 TTD 348

$53.5 ฿1,760

-2.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$8.93 TTD 59.4

$7.48 ฿246

19.39%

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

$176 TTD 1,169

$557 ฿18.3K

-68.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K TTD 70.2K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-10.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 TTD 412

$64.1 ฿2,107

-3.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.37 TTD 295

$29.07 ฿956

52.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 TTD 982

$96.0 ฿3,155

53.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 TTD 481

$90.3 ฿2,970

-19.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 TTD 3,376

$730 ฿24.0K

-30.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 TTD 2,412

$500 ฿16.4K

-27.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 TTD 6,850

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-50.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 TTD 5,783

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-28.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,217 TTD 8,100

$503 ฿16.6K

141.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

5.57

3.23%

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

Last update for Arima: September 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $507 in Arima versus $730 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 142% higher in Arima, 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 $74.0 in Arima versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $273 – 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

Arima costs about 3% more than Phuket, 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 $1,929 per month in Arima and $1,880 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 $1,286 in Arima and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $176 per month in Arima and $557 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Arima at $1,286. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,253 versus $1,286 in Arima. 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, Arima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.