Cost of Living Comparison Between Castries and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Castries and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,366 per month in Castries vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,236 per month in Castries vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,107 per month in Castries vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Castries costs about 8% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Castries sits 2% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 EC$19.76

$4.70 ฿153

55.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 EC$200

$45.37 ฿1,482

62.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 EC$20.41

$8.43 ฿275

-10.32%

Cappuccino

$3.80 EC$10.26

$2.93 ฿95.6

29.69%

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

$1.08 EC$2.92

$0.69 ฿22.40

56.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 EC$2.69

$0.37 ฿11.99

167.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 EC$7.20

$2.41 ฿78.6

10.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 EC$9.11

$3.72 ฿122

-9.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 EC$5.66

$2.23 ฿72.9

-5.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 EC$4.64

$1.83 ฿59.8

-6.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 EC$4.54

$2.17 ฿70.8

-22.58%

Eggs

$4.27 EC$11.54

$2.21 ฿72.3

93.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 EC$29.78

$19.74 ฿645

-44.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.70 EC$26.19

$3.63 ฿119

167.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.03 EC$27.09

$13.53 ฿442

-25.87%

Apples (1kg)

$7.36 EC$19.87

$3.28 ฿107

124.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 EC$4.54

$1.61 ฿52.6

4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.43 EC$17.36

$2.41 ฿78.6

166.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.01 EC$24.34

$2.08 ฿68.1

333.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 EC$9.43

$1.53 ฿49.93

128.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 EC$4.74

$1.48 ฿48.36

18.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 EC$5.70

$0.99 ฿32.29

113.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 EC$2.89

$0.51 ฿16.67

109.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.27 EC$25.02

$4.41 ฿144

110.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 EC$30.38

$19.38 ฿633

-41.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 EC$5.61

$1.78 ฿58.1

16.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 EC$11.47

$2.71 ฿88.6

56.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 EC$3.03

$1.37 ฿44.79

-18.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 EC$24.60

$3.02 ฿98.6

201.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.53 EC$50.0

$14.10 ฿461

31.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 EC$4.22

$1.36 ฿44.51

14.71%

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

$28.6K EC$77.1K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

1.26%

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

$26.9K EC$72.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-18.19%

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

$108 EC$292

$122 ฿3,975

-11.26%

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

$89.1 EC$241

$13.57 ฿443

556.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.36 EC$120

$18.31 ฿598

142.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 EC$116

$60.2 ฿1,967

-28.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 EC$17.89

$8.69 ฿284

-23.71%

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

$202 EC$546

$693 ฿22.6K

-70.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 EC$209

$59.5 ฿1,944

30.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 EC$142

$34.77 ฿1,136

51.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 EC$283

$115 ฿3,743

-8.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 EC$305

$83.3 ฿2,720

35.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 EC$1,593

$613 ฿20.0K

-3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 EC$1,067

$437 ฿14.3K

-9.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$998 EC$2,694

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-52.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 EC$1,933

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-52.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$99.1 EC$268

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-97.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$64.1 EC$173

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-97.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,036 EC$2,797

$508 ฿16.6K

103.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.75

5.33

45.40%

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

Last update for Castries: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $590 in Castries versus $613 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 104% higher in Castries, 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 $74.0 in Castries versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $293 – 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

Castries vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castries costs about 8% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,049 per month in Castries and $1,898 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 $1,366 in Castries and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Castries and $693 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 $1,265, than in Castries at $1,366. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castries it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $1,366 in Castries. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Castries makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.