Cost of Living Comparison Between Arklow and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Arklow and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,454 per month in Arklow vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,562 per month in Arklow vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,669 per month in Arklow vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Arklow costs about 96% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Arklow sits 84% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.49 €15.28

$4.55 ฿153

284.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 €60.1

$46.18 ฿1,550

49.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.24 €9.82

$8.84 ฿297

27.15%

Cappuccino

$4.45 €3.89

$3.06 ฿103

45.42%

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

$2.80 €2.45

$0.73 ฿24.36

283.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 €1.95

$0.40 ฿13.37

457.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 €5.55

$2.43 ฿81.6

161.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 €4.29

$3.78 ฿127

29.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 €1.38

$2.26 ฿75.8

-30.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.81 ฿60.8

13.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 €0.83

$2.25 ฿75.7

-57.78%

Eggs

$4.38 €3.82

$2.25 ฿75.4

94.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 €6.35

$19.51 ฿655

-62.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.14 €7.11

$3.65 ฿122

123.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.37 €7.31

$13.05 ฿438

-35.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$3.23 ฿109

-45.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.62 ฿54.3

-6.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.38 ฿80.0

-13.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.34

$2.03 ฿68.0

31.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.21

$1.53 ฿51.5

64.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 €1.40

$1.50 ฿50.4

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 €1.00

$0.98 ฿32.85

16.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.84

$0.52 ฿17.36

303.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.57 €17.10

$4.44 ฿149

340.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 €12.07

$18.32 ฿615

-24.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.41

$1.86 ฿62.6

109.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 €3.24

$2.68 ฿90.0

38.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 €2.18

$1.41 ฿47.37

77.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.4 €86.9

$11.70 ฿393

749.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 €4.45

$3.11 ฿104

63.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.75 €2.40

$1.04 ฿35.00

164.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.13 €30.70

$14.11 ฿474

148.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.31 ฿44.02

57.25%

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

$42.9K €37.5K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

54.20%

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

$40.5K €35.4K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

21.99%

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

$241 €210

$122 ฿4,110

96.43%

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

$22.04 €19.26

$13.59 ฿456

62.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.06 €42.86

$18.70 ฿628

162.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.70 €40.80

$60.5 ฿2,031

-22.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿570

Cinema Ticket

$13.71 €11.98

$9.07 ฿305

51.16%

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

$1,366 €1,193

$706 ฿23.7K

93.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,458 €6,516

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-52.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.6

$58.6 ฿1,965

75.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 €43.87

$35.36 ฿1,187

42.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 €86.3

$115 ฿3,876

-14.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 €103

$83.7 ฿2,811

40.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 €1,263

$626 ฿21.0K

131.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 €1,065

$445 ฿14.9K

173.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,361 €2,063

$2,040 ฿68.5K

15.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,000 €1,747

$1,492 ฿50.1K

34.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿116.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,879 €4,263

$500 ฿16.8K

876.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

5.33

-13.70%

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

Last update for Arklow: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,445 in Arklow 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 876% higher in Arklow, 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 $69.0 in Arklow versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $280 in Arklow vs $289 in Phuket – so Arklow wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Arklow vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,454 in Arklow, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 96% apart. Arklow costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,681 per month in Arklow 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 $2,454 in Arklow 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 750% 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 Arklow at $2,454. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arklow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,250 in Phuket to $2,454 in Arklow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Arklow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.