Cost of Living Comparison Between Caranavi and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Caranavi and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $609 in Caranavi versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $888 in Caranavi versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,167 in Caranavi versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Caranavi costs roughly 52% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Caranavi 56% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.46 BOB 17.53

$4.66 ฿154

-68.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.38 BOB 112

$32.22 ฿1,065

-70.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.03 BOB 48.31

$8.68 ฿287

-53.57%

Cappuccino

$1.72 BOB 20.57

$2.90 ฿95.8

-40.69%

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

$0.40 BOB 4.81

$0.84 ฿27.89

-52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 BOB 3.73

$0.49 ฿16.16

-36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 BOB 9.56

$2.48 ฿82.0

-67.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 BOB 27.94

$3.73 ฿123

-37.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 BOB 8.98

$1.89 ฿62.3

-60.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 BOB 9.85

$1.41 ฿46.54

-41.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 BOB 8.91

$1.62 ฿53.6

-54.32%

Eggs

$0.53 BOB 6.37

$2.24 ฿74.1

-76.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.62 BOB 43.33

$19.84 ฿656

-81.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.13 BOB 13.52

$3.48 ฿115

-67.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.29 BOB 39.39

$11.37 ฿376

-71.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 BOB 19.95

$2.90 ฿95.8

-42.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 BOB 6.49

$1.72 ฿57.0

-68.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.45 BOB 5.44

$2.27 ฿75.1

-80.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 BOB 7.68

$2.13 ฿70.4

-69.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 BOB 7.06

$1.47 ฿48.72

-59.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 BOB 4.88

$1.42 ฿46.92

-71.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 BOB 6.08

$1.10 ฿36.25

-53.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 BOB 7.26

$0.60 ฿19.76

1.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 BOB 21.87

$4.31 ฿142

-57.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.02 BOB 36.21

$18.60 ฿615

-83.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 BOB 15.47

$1.80 ฿59.5

-28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 BOB 18.56

$2.97 ฿98.0

-47.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 BOB 3.42

$2.25 ฿74.2

-87.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.34 BOB 99.9

$23.49 ฿776

-64.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 BOB 9.57

$3.10 ฿102

-74.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 BOB 10.24

$1.08 ฿35.56

-21.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.54 BOB 102

$3.87 ฿128

120.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 BOB 5.65

$1.43 ฿47.16

-67.13%

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

$8,590 BOB 102.9K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-69.08%

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

$11.9K BOB 142.3K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-55.97%

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

$22.92 BOB 275

$105 ฿3,462

-78.13%

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

$14.35 BOB 172

$11.39 ฿376

25.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.89 BOB 226

$17.54 ฿580

7.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.49 BOB 102

$54.3 ฿1,795

-84.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.58 BOB 151

$11.44 ฿378

9.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.82 BOB 45.73

$7.78 ฿257

-50.90%

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

$84.4 BOB 1,011

$576 ฿19.0K

-85.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,287 BOB 15.4K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-88.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.96 BOB 191

$63.6 ฿2,103

-74.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.82 BOB 213

$29.10 ฿961

-38.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.75 BOB 344

$96.2 ฿3,179

-70.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.05 BOB 420

$90.0 ฿2,974

-61.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 BOB 6,148

$733 ฿24.2K

-30.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 BOB 3,962

$501 ฿16.5K

-33.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 BOB 8,128

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-68.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 BOB 6,678

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-55.49%

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)

$211 BOB 2,522

$508 ฿16.8K

-58.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.15

5.57

46.32%

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

Last update for Caranavi: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $513 in Caranavi and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 141% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $9.00 in Caranavi vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $91.0 vs $275 per month, with Caranavi cheaper across the board.

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

Caranavi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caranavi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 141% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $513 in Caranavi versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Caranavi – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $609 per month in Caranavi versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $609 in Caranavi versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caranavi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Caranavi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Caranavi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Caranavi and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Caranavi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.