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 $1,924 per month in Charlotte Amalie vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,037 per month in Charlotte Amalie vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,149 per month in Charlotte Amalie vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Charlotte Amalie costs about 56% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Charlotte Amalie sits 44% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.28 $25.28

$4.63 ฿151

446.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.7 $99.7

$46.84 ฿1,532

112.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.93 $11.93

$8.84 ฿289

34.95%

Cappuccino

$7.65 $7.65

$3.00 ฿98.0

155.00%

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

$2.26 $2.26

$0.74 ฿24.25

205.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.37 ฿11.95

491.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.16 $7.16

$2.44 ฿79.8

193.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.13 $9.13

$3.61 ฿118

152.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.26 ฿73.9

25.66%

White Bread (500g)

$8.96 $8.96

$1.84 ฿60.1

386.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

Eggs

$6.91 $6.91

$2.32 ฿75.7

197.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$20.06 $20.06

$18.88 ฿617

6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.35 ฿44.19

11.11%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$301 $301

$125 ฿4,087

141.05%

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

$13.57 ฿444

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$118 $118

$18.52 ฿606

537.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

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

$698 ฿22.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,036 $2,036

$616 ฿20.1K

230.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$938 $938

$446 ฿14.6K

110.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,036 in Charlotte Amalie versus $616 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 $100 in Charlotte Amalie versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $186 in Charlotte Amalie vs $292 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 56%, 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 $2,886 per month in Charlotte Amalie and $1,847 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 57% 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 $100 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 $1,232, than in Charlotte Amalie at $1,924. 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.