Cost of Living Comparison Between Arta and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Arta and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,391 per month in Arta vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,058 per month in Arta vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,725 per month in Arta vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Arta costs about 11% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Arta sits 4% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 €10.17

$4.55 ฿153

155.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.50 €39.81

$46.18 ฿1,554

-1.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 €8.94

$8.84 ฿298

15.50%

Cappuccino

$4.32 €3.78

$3.06 ฿103

41.18%

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

$2.42 €2.12

$0.73 ฿24.42

231.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.52

$0.40 ฿13.40

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.36 €4.69

$2.43 ฿81.8

120.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 €5.00

$3.78 ฿127

51.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.12

$2.26 ฿76.0

-43.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 €1.04

$1.81 ฿60.9

-34.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 €0.84

$2.25 ฿75.8

-57.33%

Eggs

$3.51 €3.07

$2.25 ฿75.6

56.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.75

$19.51 ฿656

-31.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.93 €9.56

$3.65 ฿123

199.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 €10.24

$13.05 ฿439

-10.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 €0.90

$3.23 ฿109

-68.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 €1.08

$1.62 ฿54.4

-23.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 €1.13

$2.38 ฿80.2

-45.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 €0.93

$2.03 ฿68.2

-47.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 €1.13

$1.53 ฿51.6

-15.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.50 ฿50.5

-24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 €0.70

$0.98 ฿32.93

-18.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.15 €0.13

$0.52 ฿17.40

-71.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 €4.57

$4.44 ฿149

17.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.41 €3.86

$18.32 ฿616

-75.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.79

$1.86 ฿62.7

-51.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.99

$2.68 ฿90.2

-15.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.41 ฿47.49

8.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.81 €40.95

$11.70 ฿394

300.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €4.00

$3.11 ฿105

47.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.94

$1.04 ฿35.08

2.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 €11.85

$14.11 ฿475

-4.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.31 ฿44.13

57.25%

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

$31.6K €27.6K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

13.56%

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

$31.6K €27.7K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-4.72%

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

$215 €188

$122 ฿4,120

75.86%

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

$25.40 €22.22

$13.59 ฿457

86.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.81 €22.58

$18.70 ฿629

38.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.65 €41.69

$60.5 ฿2,035

-21.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.73 €22.51

$16.98 ฿572

51.53%

Cinema Ticket

$10.26 €8.98

$9.07 ฿305

13.12%

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

$421 €368

$706 ฿23.8K

-40.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,341 €7,298

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-47.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.5 €73.9

$58.6 ฿1,970

44.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.63 €25.05

$35.36 ฿1,190

-19.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 €71.6

$115 ฿3,885

-29.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 €79.5

$83.7 ฿2,818

8.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 €434

$626 ฿21.1K

-20.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 €342

$445 ฿15.0K

-12.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 €669

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-62.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 €534

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-59.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,910 €2,546

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-16.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,105 €1,842

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-18.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$903 €790

$500 ฿16.8K

80.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

5.33

-12.20%

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

Last update for Arta: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $496 in Arta 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 81% higher in Arta, 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 $46.00 in Arta versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $289 – making Arta 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

Arta vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Arta is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,087 per month in Arta 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.

Kindergarten costs $421 per month in Arta and $706 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Arta – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Arta at $1,391. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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