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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,326 per month in Candelaria vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,074 per month in Candelaria vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,823 per month in Candelaria vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Candelaria costs about 5% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Candelaria and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Candelaria 4% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.72 $18.72

$4.66 ฿154

301.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.5 $85.5

$32.22 ฿1,065

165.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 $9.40

$8.68 ฿287

8.29%

Cappuccino

$3.74 $3.74

$2.90 ฿95.8

28.97%

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

$1.78 $1.78

$0.84 ฿27.89

111.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.49 ฿16.16

202.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.48 ฿82.0

24.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.73 ฿123

36.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.89 ฿62.3

21.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$1.41 ฿46.54

158.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.62 ฿53.6

50.00%

Eggs

$7.43 $7.43

$2.24 ฿74.1

231.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.63 $12.63

$19.84 ฿656

-36.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.79 $9.79

$3.48 ฿115

181.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 $13.33

$11.37 ฿376

17.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.90 ฿95.8

72.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.72 ฿57.0

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.27 ฿75.1

109.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.13 ฿70.4

120.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$1.47 ฿48.72

163.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.42 ฿46.92

178.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.35 $3.35

$1.10 ฿36.25

204.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.60 ฿19.76

163.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.96 $11.96

$4.31 ฿142

177.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 $15.43

$18.60 ฿615

-17.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.80 ฿59.5

70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.97 ฿98.0

30.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.10 ฿102

-21.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.08 ฿35.56

41.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.33 $42.33

$3.87 ฿128

993.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.43 ฿47.16

-21.68%

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

$39.2K $39.2K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

41.08%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

4.49%

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

$316 $316

$105 ฿3,462

201.48%

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

$68.5 $68.5

$11.39 ฿376

501.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 $69.8

$17.54 ฿580

298.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$10.60 $10.60

$7.78 ฿257

36.25%

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

$816 $816

$576 ฿19.0K

41.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K $12.6K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

8.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 $56.2

$63.6 ฿2,103

-11.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.6 $60.6

$29.10 ฿961

108.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$96.2 ฿3,179

11.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$90.0 ฿2,974

25.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.57

17.59%

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

Last update for Candelaria: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Candelaria versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $414 vs $275 – 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: $1,326 in Candelaria, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 5% apart. Candelaria costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,988 per month in Candelaria and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,326 in Candelaria and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $816 per month in Candelaria and $576 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 $1,265, than in Candelaria at $1,326. 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 $1,265 in Phuket to $1,326 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.