😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,806 in Carrefour versus $1,264 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,675 in Carrefour versus $2,256 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,545 in Carrefour versus $3,248 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Carrefour is roughly 43% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Carrefour is 36% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.08HTG 1,968
$4.48฿150
236.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.2HTG 11.6K
$45.59฿1,521
95.55%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.11HTG 928
$8.76฿292
-18.84%
Cappuccino
$1.67HTG 217
$2.97฿99.0
-43.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56HTG 204
$0.69฿22.90
126.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53HTG 200
$0.39฿13.04
292.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.03HTG 657
$2.53฿84.4
98.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.18HTG 936
$3.75฿125
91.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.49HTG 195
$2.15฿71.6
-30.70%
White Bread(500g)
$2.26HTG 294
$1.82฿60.6
24.18%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.12HTG 407
$2.18฿72.9
43.12%
Eggs
$2.70HTG 352
$2.25฿75.0
20.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.80HTG 1,017
$20.00฿667
-61.00%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.10HTG 795
$3.63฿121
68.04%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.98HTG 1,564
$13.56฿452
-11.65%
Apples(1kg)
$1.88HTG 245
$3.24฿108
-41.98%
Banana(1kg)
$2.52HTG 328
$1.64฿54.6
53.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.91HTG 118
$2.33฿77.8
-60.94%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.35HTG 307
$2.07฿69.1
13.53%
Potato(1kg)
$6.06HTG 791
$1.55฿51.6
290.97%
Onion(1kg)
$0.98HTG 128
$1.46฿48.54
-32.88%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.65HTG 85.1
$0.98฿32.86
-33.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99HTG 129
$0.48฿16.09
106.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.95HTG 515
$4.35฿145
-9.20%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.53HTG 1,505
$18.57฿620
-37.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.86HTG 113
$1.86฿61.9
-53.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49HTG 194
$2.65฿88.6
-43.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.21HTG 26.91
$1.42฿47.28
-85.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.88HTG 2,594
$11.57฿386
71.82%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.39HTG 51.0
$3.17฿106
-87.70%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.41HTG 54.0
$1.03฿34.41
-60.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$20.11HTG 2,624
$13.89฿463
44.78%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.23HTG 161
$1.34฿44.84
-8.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.5KHTG 5.3M
$27.8K฿927.1K
45.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.2KHTG 5.8M
$33.4K฿1.1M
32.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$101HTG 13.1K
$123฿4,105
-18.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.27HTG 6,429
$13.77฿459
257.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$163HTG 21.3K
$18.33฿611
789.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$70.3HTG 9,169
$60.7฿2,025
15.79%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.07HTG 2,619
$17.16฿573
16.96%
Cinema Ticket
$10.16HTG 1,326
$8.87฿296
14.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$99.5HTG 13.0K
$688฿22.9K
-85.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,878HTG 897.5K
$15.8K฿526.4K
-56.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.2HTG 10.3K
$59.3฿1,978
33.59%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$76.1HTG 9,931
$34.69฿1,157
119.40%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$120HTG 15.7K
$115฿3,843
4.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$149HTG 19.4K
$83.8฿2,794
77.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$873HTG 113.9K
$621฿20.7K
40.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$729HTG 95.2K
$446฿14.9K
63.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,284HTG 167.5K
$2,034฿67.8K
-36.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,086HTG 141.7K
$1,496฿49.9K
-27.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$773HTG 100.9K
$3,455฿115.3K
-77.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$590HTG 77.0K
$2,531฿84.4K
-76.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,425HTG 185.9K
$494฿16.5K
188.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
15
5.33
181.43%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Carrefour: July 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $873 in Carrefour and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Carrefour pays 189% 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: $89.0 in Carrefour vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $256 vs $291, with Carrefour cheaper for home cooking.
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
Carrefour vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Carrefour and in Phuket?
Carrefour and Phuket differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,806 vs $1,264 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Carrefour or Phuket?
Average pay runs 189% higher in Carrefour, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Carrefour and in Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $873 in Carrefour versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Carrefour and Phuket?
Childcare runs $99.5 in Carrefour versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Carrefour pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,806 in Carrefour, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Carrefour. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Carrefour and Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Carrefour or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Carrefour 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.
Where should expats move: Carrefour or Phuket?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Carrefour. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.