Cost of Living Comparison Between Candelaria and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Candelaria and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,436 per month in Candelaria vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Candelaria vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,852 per month in Candelaria vs $3,291 in Phuket, rent included.

Candelaria costs about 14% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Candelaria sits 7% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 $18.74

$4.53 ฿153

313.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.7 $81.7

$46.36 ฿1,562

76.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 $9.90

$8.65 ฿291

14.45%

Cappuccino

$3.57 $3.57

$3.09 ฿104

15.53%

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

$1.73 $1.73

$0.68 ฿22.85

154.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

$0.37 ฿12.41

289.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.42 ฿81.4

20.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 $4.60

$3.81 ฿128

20.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.18 ฿73.4

11.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.82 ฿61.2

95.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.18 ฿73.3

0.92%

Eggs

$6.08 $6.08

$2.24 ฿75.3

171.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 $8.71

$19.93 ฿671

-56.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 $8.32

$3.64 ฿123

128.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.65 $12.65

$13.56 ฿457

-6.71%

Apples (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.29 ฿111

82.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.69 ฿56.8

61.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.33 ฿78.6

70.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.03 ฿68.3

97.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.60 ฿53.9

145.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.49 ฿50.4

97.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.01 ฿34.11

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.48 ฿16.06

312.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.10 $12.10

$4.45 ฿150

171.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.37 $15.37

$18.63 ฿628

-17.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.79 ฿60.2

42.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.80 ฿94.2

15.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.04 ฿35.13

46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.22 $15.22

$13.63 ฿459

11.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.31 ฿44.15

-22.90%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$27.3K ฿919.1K

29.64%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-20.92%

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

$483 $483

$123 ฿4,149

291.93%

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

$78.9 $78.9

$13.81 ฿465

471.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$18.52 ฿624

293.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿566

Cinema Ticket

$12.06 $12.06

$8.89 ฿299

35.66%

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

$476 $476

$687 ฿23.1K

-30.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K $10.2K

$15.6K ฿523.9K

-34.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.71 $45.71

$57.6 ฿1,942

-20.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 $55.3

$34.66 ฿1,168

59.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 $92.4

$115 ฿3,872

-19.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$84.9 ฿2,860

25.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,794 $1,794

$2,047 ฿69.0K

-12.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.33

7.13%

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

Last update for Candelaria: July 19, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Candelaria versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $292 – 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

Candelaria vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,436 in Candelaria, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 14% apart. Candelaria costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,153 per month in Candelaria and $1,891 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,436 in Candelaria and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Candelaria and $687 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 $1,261, than in Candelaria at $1,436. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Candelaria 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 $1,261 in Phuket to $1,436 in Candelaria. 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, Candelaria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.