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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,296 per month in Arklow vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,099 per month in Arklow vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,903 per month in Arklow vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Arklow costs about 3% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.95 €18.93

$4.56 ฿152

381.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.2 €80.4

$32.62 ฿1,086

185.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 €10.11

$8.90 ฿296

31.69%

Cappuccino

$4.38 €3.78

$2.80 ฿93.4

56.43%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$0.88 ฿29.31

236.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.49 ฿16.29

359.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 €4.83

$2.39 ฿79.5

134.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 €4.66

$3.71 ฿124

45.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.79 ฿59.5

-0.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 €2.01

$1.44 ฿48.00

61.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.58 ฿52.8

24.68%

Eggs

$4.72 €4.07

$2.13 ฿70.8

121.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.39 €12.41

$19.92 ฿663

-27.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.63 €11.75

$3.43 ฿114

297.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 €14.63

$11.33 ฿377

49.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$2.95 ฿98.2

10.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.72 ฿57.3

72.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 €3.05

$2.32 ฿77.4

52.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 €4.31

$2.08 ฿69.3

139.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.47 ฿48.96

57.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.36 ฿45.22

39.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.10 ฿36.59

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.84

$0.57 ฿19.13

273.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.21 €18.29

$4.27 ฿142

396.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 €12.16

$18.42 ฿613

-23.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.32 €3.73

$1.87 ฿62.3

131.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 €3.12

$2.92 ฿97.3

23.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿762

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 €4.71

$3.03 ฿101

80.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.07 ฿35.77

43.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.56 €29.80

$3.93 ฿131

779.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.49 ฿49.68

43.62%

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

$40.0K €34.5K

$27.1K ฿903.4K

47.51%

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

$39.8K €34.3K

$27.5K ฿914.1K

44.88%

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

$248 €214

$103 ฿3,423

141.32%

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

$22.42 €19.34

$10.99 ฿366

104.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 €49.54

$17.51 ฿583

227.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.92 €39.61

$53.5 ฿1,783

-14.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$14.21 €12.26

$7.48 ฿249

89.97%

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

$1,110 €958

$557 ฿18.5K

99.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,659 €4,881

$11.9K ฿394.7K

-52.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.9 €85.3

$64.1 ฿2,134

54.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.86 €38.69

$29.07 ฿968

54.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €95.0

$96.0 ฿3,195

14.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$90.3 ฿3,008

35.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿69.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿40.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,953 €4,272

$503 ฿16.8K

883.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

5.57

-25.67%

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

Last update for Arklow: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 884% 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 $93.0 in Arklow versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 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

Arklow vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,296 in Arklow, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 3% apart. Arklow costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,944 per month in Arklow and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Arklow and $33.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Arklow, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Arklow at $1,296. 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 $1,253 in Phuket to $1,296 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.