Cost of Living Comparison Between Carenage and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Carenage and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $933 per month in Carenage vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,634 per month in Carenage vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,334 per month in Carenage vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Carenage is about 26% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Carenage and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Carenage 31% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.24 TTD 69.2

$4.56 ฿149

124.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.7 TTD 593

$46.63 ฿1,519

87.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 TTD 50.9

$8.47 ฿276

-11.10%

Cappuccino

$3.72 TTD 25.16

$3.03 ฿98.6

22.77%

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

$1.10 TTD 7.41

$0.69 ฿22.45

59.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.20

$0.37 ฿11.92

108.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.88

$2.49 ฿81.0

-23.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 TTD 21.03

$3.66 ฿119

-15.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 TTD 18.63

$2.18 ฿71.0

26.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 TTD 19.13

$1.90 ฿62.0

48.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 TTD 17.94

$2.20 ฿71.6

20.45%

Eggs

$5.06 TTD 34.20

$2.22 ฿72.4

127.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.17 TTD 55.2

$19.99 ฿651

-59.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 TTD 70.2

$3.66 ฿119

183.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.31 TTD 96.8

$13.25 ฿432

8.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 TTD 39.80

$3.23 ฿105

82.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 TTD 16.82

$1.70 ฿55.3

46.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 TTD 29.62

$2.39 ฿78.0

83.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 TTD 32.33

$2.08 ฿67.7

129.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 TTD 9.58

$1.59 ฿51.8

-10.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 TTD 11.18

$1.48 ฿48.31

11.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 TTD 12.88

$1.03 ฿33.54

85.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 TTD 9.92

$0.52 ฿16.83

182.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 TTD 39.04

$4.25 ฿138

35.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 TTD 125

$18.79 ฿612

-1.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 TTD 15.00

$1.76 ฿57.2

26.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 TTD 18.34

$2.76 ฿89.8

-1.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 TTD 7.17

$3.14 ฿102

-66.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.36

$1.04 ฿33.74

19.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.01 TTD 101

$13.77 ฿448

9.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 TTD 7.35

$1.34 ฿43.79

-18.66%

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

$33.6K TTD 227.3K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

21.49%

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

$39.0K TTD 264.0K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

15.31%

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

$80.1 TTD 542

$124 ฿4,025

-35.20%

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

$46.63 TTD 315

$13.52 ฿440

244.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 TTD 410

$18.69 ฿609

224.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 TTD 65.9

$9.14 ฿298

6.67%

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

$329 TTD 2,221

$703 ฿22.9K

-53.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,287 TTD 49.3K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-54.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 TTD 396

$59.5 ฿1,937

-1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.01 TTD 257

$35.07 ฿1,142

8.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 TTD 1,002

$115 ฿3,754

28.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 TTD 859

$84.1 ฿2,737

51.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

5.33

0.94%

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

Last update for Carenage: June 9, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Carenage versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 vs $293 – 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

Carenage vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,400 per month in Carenage and $1,892 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 $88.0 in Carenage and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Phuket – 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 Carenage, where all-in costs run around $933, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Carenage it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Carenage – 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 Carenage. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.