Cost of Living Comparison Between Chaves and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Chaves and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,111 per month in Chaves vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,677 per month in Chaves vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,242 per month in Chaves vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Chaves is about 11% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chaves and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Chaves 19% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 €6.95

$4.56 ฿150

77.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.81 €19.63

$32.62 ฿1,072

-30.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 €7.09

$8.90 ฿293

-7.53%

Cappuccino

$1.59 €1.37

$2.80 ฿92.2

-43.21%

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

$1.52 €1.31

$0.88 ฿28.93

72.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 €0.52

$0.49 ฿16.08

24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 €1.95

$2.39 ฿78.5

-5.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$3.71 ฿122

-25.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 €0.87

$1.79 ฿58.7

-43.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.44 ฿47.38

-17.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.58 ฿52.1

-25.32%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.73

$2.13 ฿69.9

49.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.45 €5.55

$19.92 ฿655

-67.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 €5.99

$3.43 ฿113

102.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 €9.43

$11.33 ฿372

-3.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$2.95 ฿96.9

-61.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.72 ฿56.6

-34.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 €1.01

$2.32 ฿76.4

-49.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 €1.02

$2.08 ฿68.4

-43.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.47 ฿48.33

42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.36 ฿44.64

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.10 ฿36.12

30.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.57 ฿18.89

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 €5.12

$4.27 ฿140

39.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.10 €3.53

$18.42 ฿605

-77.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.98

$1.87 ฿61.5

-39.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$2.92 ฿96.0

-59.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 €0.77

$2.22 ฿72.9

-59.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.07 €25.01

$22.90 ฿753

26.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.18 €3.59

$3.03 ฿99.6

37.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 €0.59

$1.07 ฿35.31

-36.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.41 €17.56

$3.93 ฿129

419.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.49 ฿49.04

40.27%

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

$34.7K €29.8K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

27.76%

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

$39.6K €34.1K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

44.27%

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

$138 €119

$103 ฿3,379

34.64%

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

$18.35 €15.79

$10.99 ฿361

66.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.35 €28.70

$17.51 ฿576

90.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.66 €22.94

$53.5 ฿1,760

-50.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.76 €4.95

$11.20 ฿368

-48.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 €6.68

$7.48 ฿246

3.74%

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

$237 €204

$557 ฿18.3K

-57.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,777 €3,250

$11.9K ฿389.6K

-68.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 €62.9

$64.1 ฿2,106

14.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.98 €19.77

$29.07 ฿956

-20.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 €57.6

$96.0 ฿3,154

-30.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 €81.1

$90.3 ฿2,970

4.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 €435

$730 ฿24.0K

-30.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 €333

$500 ฿16.4K

-22.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 €848

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-52.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 €664

$1,209 ฿39.7K

-36.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,947 €1,675

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-45.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,491 €1,283

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-40.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,044 €898

$503 ฿16.5K

107.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-46.14%

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

Last update for Chaves: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $505 in Chaves versus $730 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 107% higher in Chaves, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Chaves versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $273 – making Chaves 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

Chaves vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 13% more than Chaves, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,667 per month in Chaves and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chaves, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 27% less in Chaves. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $237 per month in Chaves and $557 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chaves, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Chaves it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chaves costs $1,111 versus $1,253 in Phuket. 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 Chaves. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.