Cost of Living Comparison Between Charlotte Amalie and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Charlotte Amalie and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,957 per month in Charlotte Amalie vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,036 per month in Charlotte Amalie vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,116 per month in Charlotte Amalie vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Charlotte Amalie costs about 55% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Charlotte Amalie sits 46% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.59 $24.59

$4.56 ฿149

439.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$46.63 ฿1,519

115.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.83 $11.83

$8.47 ฿276

39.67%

Cappuccino

$7.56 $7.56

$3.03 ฿98.6

149.50%

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

$2.27 $2.27

$0.69 ฿22.45

228.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.37 ฿11.92

491.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$2.49 ฿81.0

186.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.14 $9.14

$3.66 ฿119

149.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.18 ฿71.0

24.77%

White Bread (500g)

$9.22 $9.22

$1.90 ฿62.0

385.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

Eggs

$7.05 $7.05

$2.22 ฿72.4

217.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$19.85 $19.85

$18.79 ฿612

5.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.34 ฿43.79

11.94%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$305 $305

$124 ฿4,025

146.88%

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

$13.52 ฿440

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$118 $118

$18.69 ฿609

533.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

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

$703 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 $1,972

$619 ฿20.1K

218.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$948 $948

$433 ฿14.1K

119.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Charlotte Amalie: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,972 in Charlotte Amalie versus $619 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 $101 in Charlotte Amalie versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $187 in Charlotte Amalie vs $293 in Phuket – so Charlotte Amalie 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

Charlotte Amalie vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Charlotte Amalie is pricier by about 55%, 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 $2,935 per month in Charlotte Amalie and $1,892 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 56% cheaper in Charlotte Amalie – 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 $101 in Charlotte Amalie and $47.00 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 $1,261, than in Charlotte Amalie at $1,957. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Charlotte Amalie 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, Charlotte Amalie makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.