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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $929 per month in Carenage vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,624 per month in Carenage vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,319 per month in Carenage vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Carenage is about 27% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Carenage and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Carenage 30% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.27 TTD 69.3

$4.48 ฿150

129.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.9 TTD 607

$45.59 ฿1,525

97.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 TTD 49.64

$8.76 ฿293

-15.98%

Cappuccino

$3.65 TTD 24.60

$2.97 ฿99.3

22.90%

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

$1.06 TTD 7.14

$0.69 ฿22.96

53.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 TTD 5.57

$0.39 ฿13.07

112.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 TTD 12.40

$2.53 ฿84.7

-27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 TTD 21.04

$3.75 ฿125

-16.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 TTD 17.78

$2.15 ฿71.8

22.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 TTD 18.24

$1.82 ฿60.7

48.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 TTD 17.92

$2.18 ฿73.1

22.02%

Eggs

$4.95 TTD 33.41

$2.25 ฿75.2

120.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 TTD 53.2

$20.00 ฿669

-60.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 TTD 69.0

$3.63 ฿121

181.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 TTD 98.3

$13.56 ฿453

7.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.98 TTD 40.34

$3.24 ฿109

84.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.42

$1.64 ฿54.7

57.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 TTD 28.38

$2.33 ฿78.0

80.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 TTD 32.22

$2.07 ฿69.3

130.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 TTD 9.59

$1.55 ฿51.8

-8.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 TTD 11.66

$1.46 ฿48.67

18.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 TTD 13.26

$0.98 ฿32.94

101.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 TTD 9.83

$0.48 ฿16.13

204.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.97 TTD 40.27

$4.35 ฿146

37.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.90 TTD 121

$18.57 ฿621

-3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 TTD 14.39

$1.86 ฿62.1

14.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 TTD 19.16

$2.65 ฿88.8

7.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.06

$3.17 ฿106

-66.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 TTD 8.29

$1.03 ฿34.51

19.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.80 TTD 99.9

$13.89 ฿465

6.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 TTD 7.77

$1.34 ฿44.96

-14.18%

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

$33.4K TTD 225.5K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

20.29%

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

$38.8K TTD 261.8K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

16.25%

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

$79.3 TTD 535

$123 ฿4,116

-35.60%

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

$46.31 TTD 312

$13.77 ฿461

236.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 TTD 425

$18.33 ฿613

243.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$10.23 TTD 69.0

$8.87 ฿297

15.33%

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

$322 TTD 2,171

$688 ฿23.0K

-53.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,339 TTD 49.5K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-53.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 TTD 394

$59.3 ฿1,984

-1.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.48 TTD 260

$34.69 ฿1,160

10.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 986

$115 ฿3,853

26.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 TTD 865

$83.8 ฿2,802

53.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Carenage versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $291 – 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 36%, 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 $1,393 per month in Carenage and $1,896 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 $90.0 in Carenage and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% 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 $929, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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.