🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $880 in Cave Valley versus $1,261 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Cave Valley versus $2,276 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,977 in Cave Valley versus $3,291 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Cave Valley costs roughly 30% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Cave Valley34% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cave Valley
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.37JMD 1,160
$4.53฿152
62.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.1JMD 9,937
$46.36฿1,558
36.11%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.54JMD 1,345
$8.65฿291
-1.27%
Cappuccino
$4.36JMD 686
$3.09฿104
41.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38JMD 217
$0.68฿22.79
102.94%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69JMD 109
$0.37฿12.38
86.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.55JMD 402
$2.42฿81.2
5.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04JMD 479
$3.81฿128
-20.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cave Valley
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$4.34JMD 683
$2.18฿73.2
99.08%
White Bread(500g)
$3.52JMD 555
$1.82฿61.1
93.41%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.56JMD 246
$2.18฿73.2
-28.44%
Eggs
$3.43JMD 540
$2.24฿75.1
53.12%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.15JMD 1,755
$19.93฿670
-44.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.18JMD 973
$3.64฿122
69.78%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.57JMD 1,193
$13.56฿456
-44.17%
Apples(1kg)
$6.16JMD 971
$3.29฿111
87.23%
Banana(1kg)
$3.02JMD 476
$1.69฿56.6
78.70%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.29JMD 676
$2.33฿78.4
84.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.02JMD 475
$2.03฿68.1
48.77%
Potato(1kg)
$2.05JMD 323
$1.60฿53.8
28.12%
Onion(1kg)
$2.01JMD 317
$1.49฿50.2
34.90%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.08JMD 485
$1.01฿34.02
204.95%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.51JMD 237
$0.48฿16.02
214.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.96JMD 1,411
$4.45฿150
101.35%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.15JMD 1,756
$18.63฿626
-40.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.81JMD 442
$1.79฿60.0
56.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06JMD 481
$2.80฿94.0
9.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Cave Valley
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.42฿47.69
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.33฿381
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.13JMD 178
$3.09฿104
-63.43%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.22JMD 507
$1.04฿35.03
209.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.11JMD 961
$13.63฿458
-55.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27JMD 200
$1.31฿44.03
-3.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.7KJMD 6.9M
$27.3K฿916.6K
60.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7KJMD 5.3M
$33.2K฿1.1M
1.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cave Valley
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$161JMD 25.3K
$123฿4,138
30.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.42JMD 3,531
$13.81฿464
62.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.5JMD 8,107
$18.52฿622
177.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cave Valley
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$60.4฿2,028
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.80฿564
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.12JMD 2,066
$8.89฿299
47.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cave Valley
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$229JMD 36.0K
$687฿23.1K
-66.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,522JMD 397.2K
$15.6K฿522.5K
-83.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cave Valley
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.14JMD 4,116
$57.6฿1,936
-54.64%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.18JMD 3,965
$34.66฿1,165
-27.35%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$70.3JMD 11.1K
$115฿3,861
-38.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.4JMD 11.9K
$84.9฿2,853
-11.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cave Valley
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$618฿20.7K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$443฿14.9K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,047฿68.8K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,506฿50.6K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,568฿119.9K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,511฿84.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cave Valley
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$503฿16.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.15
5.33
71.67%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cave Valley: July 21, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $63.0 in Cave Valley vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $292 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
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
Cave Valley vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Cave Valley and in Phuket?
Cave Valley and Phuket differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($880 vs $1,261 including rent). Cave Valley is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Cave Valley compared to Phuket?
You'd need roughly $1,320 in Cave Valley and $1,891 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Cave Valley or Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $880 per month in Cave Valley versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $880 in Cave Valley versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cave Valley but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cave Valley the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Cave Valley 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 Cave Valley or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Cave Valley 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: Cave Valley or Phuket?
Expats usually find Cave Valley gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Cave Valley vs other spots: cost of living compared