Cost of Living Comparison Between Carlow and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Carlow and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,626 per month in Carlow vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,997 per month in Carlow vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,368 per month in Carlow vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Carlow costs about 110% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Carlow sits 91% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.70 €18.65

$4.56 ฿149

375.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 €99.3

$32.62 ฿1,070

254.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.85 €11.91

$8.90 ฿292

55.62%

Cappuccino

$4.65 €4.00

$2.80 ฿92.0

66.07%

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

$2.78 €2.39

$0.88 ฿28.88

215.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.49 ฿16.05

363.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.66 €6.59

$2.39 ฿78.4

220.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 €5.87

$3.71 ฿122

83.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 €1.45

$1.79 ฿58.6

-6.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.44 ฿47.30

38.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.58 ฿52.0

44.94%

Eggs

$4.56 €3.92

$2.13 ฿69.8

114.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.79 €11.86

$19.92 ฿654

-30.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.28 €9.70

$3.43 ฿113

228.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 €12.27

$11.33 ฿372

25.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 €2.70

$2.95 ฿96.8

6.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.72 ฿56.5

36.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 €2.68

$2.32 ฿76.3

34.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 €2.94

$2.08 ฿68.3

64.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$1.47 ฿48.24

44.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.36 ฿44.56

16.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.10 ฿36.05

24.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 €1.16

$0.57 ฿18.85

136.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.03 €16.36

$4.27 ฿140

345.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.35 €12.34

$18.42 ฿604

-22.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.14 €3.56

$1.87 ฿61.4

121.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 €4.10

$2.92 ฿95.8

63.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 €1.13

$2.22 ฿72.8

-40.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿751

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 €4.79

$3.03 ฿99.4

83.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 €1.31

$1.07 ฿35.24

42.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.0 €49.01

$3.93 ฿129

1350.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.49 ฿48.95

41.61%

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

$39.8K €34.2K

$27.1K ฿890.1K

46.59%

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

$38.3K €33.0K

$27.5K ฿900.7K

39.69%

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

$250 €215

$103 ฿3,373

143.24%

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

$23.79 €20.46

$10.99 ฿361

116.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 €44.82

$17.51 ฿575

197.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.0 €68.0

$53.5 ฿1,756

47.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.0 €49.89

$11.20 ฿367

418.13%

Cinema Ticket

$13.99 €12.03

$7.48 ฿246

87.03%

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

$1,047 €900

$557 ฿18.3K

87.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿388.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €75.6

$64.1 ฿2,102

37.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.06 €42.19

$29.07 ฿954

68.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 €84.6

$96.0 ฿3,148

2.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.6 €74.4

$90.3 ฿2,964

-4.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 €1,268

$730 ฿24.0K

101.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 €1,116

$500 ฿16.4K

159.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,706 €2,326

$2,090 ฿68.6K

29.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,226 €1,914

$1,209 ฿39.7K

84.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,606 €2,241

$3,596 ฿118.0K

-27.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,109 €1,813

$2,512 ฿82.4K

-16.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,367 €2,035

$503 ฿16.5K

370.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

5.57

-33.93%

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

Last update for Carlow: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,474 in Carlow versus $730 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 370% higher in Carlow, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $115 in Carlow versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $273 – 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

Carlow vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Carlow is pricier by about 110%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,939 per month in Carlow and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,626 in Carlow and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,047 per month in Carlow and $557 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 $1,253, than in Carlow at $2,626. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Carlow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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