😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,295 in Chaguanas versus $1,265 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Chaguanas versus $2,297 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,779 in Chaguanas versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Chaguanas is roughly 2% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Chaguanas3% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chaguanas
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.54TTD 50.6
$4.70฿153
60.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.4TTD 606
$45.37฿1,482
99.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.33TTD 49.08
$8.43฿275
-13.05%
Cappuccino
$3.11TTD 20.87
$2.93฿95.6
6.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09TTD 7.30
$0.69฿22.40
57.97%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81TTD 5.45
$0.37฿11.99
118.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.88TTD 12.62
$2.41฿78.6
-21.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74TTD 18.34
$3.72฿122
-26.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chaguanas
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.58TTD 17.30
$2.23฿72.9
15.70%
White Bread(500g)
$2.29TTD 15.37
$1.83฿59.8
25.14%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.63TTD 17.59
$2.17฿70.8
21.20%
Eggs
$4.00TTD 26.82
$2.21฿72.3
81.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.97TTD 53.4
$19.74฿645
-59.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.98TTD 60.2
$3.63฿119
147.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.60TTD 84.4
$13.53฿442
-6.87%
Apples(1kg)
$4.71TTD 31.58
$3.28฿107
43.60%
Banana(1kg)
$2.53TTD 16.96
$1.61฿52.6
57.14%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.53TTD 23.67
$2.41฿78.6
46.47%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.45TTD 29.78
$2.08฿68.1
113.94%
Potato(1kg)
$1.48TTD 9.88
$1.53฿49.93
-3.27%
Onion(1kg)
$1.67TTD 11.22
$1.48฿48.36
12.84%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.50TTD 10.03
$0.99฿32.29
51.52%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27TTD 8.53
$0.51฿16.67
149.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.69TTD 31.45
$4.41฿144
6.35%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.38TTD 123
$19.38฿633
-5.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.19TTD 14.69
$1.78฿58.1
23.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82TTD 18.90
$2.71฿88.6
4.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Chaguanas
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.24TTD 8.28
$1.37฿44.79
-9.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.39฿372
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.01TTD 6.73
$3.02฿98.6
-66.56%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.06TTD 7.10
$0.99฿32.48
7.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$15.02TTD 101
$14.10฿461
6.52%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.96TTD 6.46
$1.36฿44.51
-29.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7KTTD 219.3K
$28.2K฿921.1K
16.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3KTTD 243.2K
$32.9K฿1.1M
10.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chaguanas
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.2TTD 544
$122฿3,975
-33.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$46.40TTD 311
$13.57฿443
241.93%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.6TTD 346
$18.31฿598
181.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chaguanas
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.73TTD 293
$60.2฿1,967
-27.38%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.13TTD 195
$17.14฿560
69.95%
Cinema Ticket
$8.94TTD 59.9
$8.69฿284
2.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chaguanas
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$321TTD 2,148
$693฿22.6K
-53.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,275TTD 48.7K
$15.7K฿512.3K
-53.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chaguanas
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.8TTD 374
$59.5฿1,944
-6.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.61TTD 259
$34.77฿1,136
11.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$135TTD 906
$115฿3,743
18.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117TTD 781
$83.3฿2,720
40.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chaguanas
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$430TTD 2,884
$613฿20.0K
-29.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$377TTD 2,525
$437฿14.3K
-13.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$629TTD 4,214
$2,094฿68.4K
-69.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$539TTD 3,608
$1,509฿49.3K
-64.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,749฿122.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,616฿85.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chaguanas
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$784TTD 5,250
$508฿16.6K
54.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.38
5.33
0.94%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chaguanas: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chaguanas and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Chaguanas pays 54% 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: $90.0 in Chaguanas vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $293 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
Chaguanas vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chaguanas or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Chaguanas. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Chaguanas or Phuket?
Chaguanas pays 54% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Chaguanas vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Chaguanas versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Chaguanas or Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Chaguanas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Chaguanas compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $1,295 per month in Chaguanas versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Chaguanas or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,295 in Chaguanas, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Chaguanas. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chaguanas or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Chaguanas compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Chaguanas 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Chaguanas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.