😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,824 in Carrefour versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,728 in Carrefour versus $2,054 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,633 in Carrefour versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Carrefour is roughly 48% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Carrefour is 33% above, Phuket is 10% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.18HTG 1,978
$4.41฿147
244.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.1HTG 11.9K
$32.26฿1,077
182.49%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.90HTG 899
$8.93฿298
-22.73%
Cappuccino
$1.67HTG 217
$2.90฿96.6
-42.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51HTG 197
$0.88฿29.38
71.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52HTG 198
$0.48฿16.06
216.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.97HTG 647
$2.35฿78.5
111.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.12HTG 928
$3.72฿124
91.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.50HTG 195
$1.87฿62.3
-19.79%
White Bread(500g)
$2.27HTG 296
$1.47฿48.94
54.42%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.02HTG 393
$1.55฿51.8
94.84%
Eggs
$2.69HTG 350
$2.10฿70.1
28.10%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.55HTG 984
$19.59฿654
-61.46%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.83HTG 759
$3.42฿114
70.47%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.74HTG 1,529
$11.38฿380
3.16%
Apples(1kg)
$1.86HTG 243
$2.98฿99.6
-37.58%
Banana(1kg)
$2.45HTG 319
$1.68฿56.2
45.83%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.93HTG 121
$2.21฿73.7
-57.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.27HTG 296
$2.16฿72.1
5.09%
Potato(1kg)
$6.01HTG 783
$1.52฿50.9
295.39%
Onion(1kg)
$1.02HTG 133
$1.34฿44.67
-23.88%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.64HTG 83.0
$1.13฿37.67
-43.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02HTG 132
$0.55฿18.24
85.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.89HTG 507
$4.26฿142
-8.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.57HTG 1,507
$19.09฿637
-39.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.87HTG 113
$1.78฿59.4
-51.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50HTG 195
$2.78฿92.9
-46.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.23HTG 29.92
$2.23฿74.4
-89.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.74HTG 2,571
$22.74฿759
-13.19%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.36HTG 47.46
$3.03฿101
-88.12%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.42HTG 54.4
$1.02฿34.15
-58.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.99HTG 2,604
$3.89฿130
413.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27HTG 166
$1.49฿49.77
-14.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.2KHTG 5.2M
$26.6K฿887.3K
51.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.3KHTG 5.8M
$27.0K฿902.2K
63.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$100HTG 13.1K
$102฿3,420
-1.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.28HTG 6,421
$11.33฿378
334.95%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$167HTG 21.7K
$17.40฿581
858.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$69.3HTG 9,025
$52.1฿1,738
33.03%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.94HTG 2,597
$11.07฿370
80.13%
Cinema Ticket
$9.89HTG 1,289
$7.69฿257
28.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$99.4HTG 13.0K
$561฿18.7K
-82.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,988HTG 910.4K
$11.5K฿384.1K
-39.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.3HTG 10.3K
$63.0฿2,104
25.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$76.0HTG 9,895
$29.52฿986
157.32%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$120HTG 15.6K
$98.0฿3,272
22.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$150HTG 19.5K
$88.5฿2,954
69.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$892HTG 116.2K
$738฿24.6K
20.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$737HTG 96.1K
$482฿16.1K
52.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,291HTG 168.2K
$2,107฿70.3K
-38.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,085HTG 141.3K
$1,226฿40.9K
-11.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$759HTG 98.8K
$3,617฿120.7K
-79.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$593HTG 77.2K
$2,603฿86.9K
-77.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Carrefour
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,377HTG 179.4K
$494฿16.5K
178.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
15
5.57
169.30%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Carrefour: September 12, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $892 in Carrefour and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Carrefour pays 179% 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: $91.0 in Carrefour vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $274, 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 48% in total monthly costs ($1,824 vs $1,232 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 179% 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: $892 in Carrefour versus $738 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 $99.4 in Carrefour versus $561 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 9% 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 $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,824 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 48% less than in Carrefour. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.