Cost of Living Comparison Between Castel and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Castel and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,434 per month in Castel vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,838 per month in Castel vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,242 per month in Castel vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Castel costs about 94% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Castel sits 77% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$40.18 GGP 29.69

$4.56 ฿151

781.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 GGP 60.1

$32.62 ฿1,082

149.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿295

Cappuccino

$5.13 GGP 3.79

$2.80 ฿93.0

83.21%

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

$3.46 GGP 2.56

$0.88 ฿29.19

293.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 GGP 3.03

$0.49 ฿16.23

736.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.49 GGP 3.32

$2.39 ฿79.2

87.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 GGP 4.92

$3.71 ฿123

79.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 GGP 1.48

$1.79 ฿59.3

11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.81

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.6

Eggs

$2.13 ฿70.5

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿661

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿376

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.1

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿77.1

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿69.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.77

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.05

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.45

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿19.06

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿611

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿62.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 GGP 1.72

$1.49 ฿49.49

56.38%

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

$27.1K ฿899.8K

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

$27.5K ฿910.6K

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

$103 ฿3,410

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

$27.64 GGP 20.43

$10.99 ฿365

151.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 GGP 49.54

$17.51 ฿581

282.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,776

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿371

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿248

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

$557 ฿18.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿393.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,125

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿964

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,183

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,997

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 GGP 1,494

$730 ฿24.2K

176.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 GGP 1,410

$500 ฿16.6K

281.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,107 GGP 3,035

$2,090 ฿69.3K

96.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,815 GGP 2,819

$1,209 ฿40.1K

215.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Castel: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,021 in Castel 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Castel versus $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $20.00 in Castel vs $273 in Phuket – so Castel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Castel vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Castel is pricier by about 94%, 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 $3,650 per month in Castel 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1265% cheaper in Castel – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Castel and $33.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Castel at $2,434. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castel 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, Castel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.