Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chios and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,489 in Chios, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chios, Greece
Phuket, Thailand
Chios
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,489
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chios and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chios and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,489 per month in Chios vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Chios $1,489
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $2,201 per month in Chios vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Chios $2,201
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $2,912 per month in Chios vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Chios $2,912
  • Phuket $3,154

Chios costs about 17% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chios sits 9% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chios
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.75 €12.35
$4.47 ฿151
207.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.38 €40.77
$32.41 ฿1,094
40.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.01 €12.58
$8.81 ฿297
59.02%
Cappuccino
$3.71 €3.33
$2.83 ฿95.5
31.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 €2.22
$0.87 ฿29.43
183.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 €0.82
$0.49 ฿16.67
85.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.51 €4.05
$2.56 ฿86.4
76.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 €3.96
$3.68 ฿124
19.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chios
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 €1.46
$1.66 ฿56.0
-2.41%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 €1.27
$1.46 ฿49.35
-3.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.57 €2.31
$1.50 ฿50.6
71.33%
Eggs
$4.63 €4.16
$2.09 ฿70.5
121.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.41 €12.04
$19.07 ฿644
-29.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 €8.98
$3.30 ฿111
203.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.97 €13.44
$10.91 ฿368
37.21%
Apples (1kg)
$2.14 €1.92
$2.93 ฿99.0
-26.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 €1.78
$1.69 ฿57.1
17.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.25 ฿75.8
-39.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.02 €1.81
$2.08 ฿70.1
-2.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 €1.02
$1.51 ฿51.0
-25.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.01 €0.90
$1.38 ฿46.56
-26.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 €1.02
$1.07 ฿35.99
5.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 €0.72
$0.52 ฿17.52
53.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.52 €4.96
$4.20 ฿142
31.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.45 €6.69
$18.79 ฿634
-60.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.99 €1.79
$1.82 ฿61.5
9.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 €2.32
$2.84 ฿95.9
-8.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Chios
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 €1.21
$1.45 ฿49.03
-6.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$51.9 €46.65
$56.7 ฿1,913
-8.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.64 €3.27
$3.02 ฿102
20.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.02 ฿34.36
9.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.67 €13.17
$3.69 ฿125
297.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 €1.88
$1.47 ฿49.81
42.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K €25.0K
$26.8K ฿904.3K
4.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.2K €26.2K
$26.7K ฿901.3K
9.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chios
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 €182
$96.4 ฿3,254
110.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.62 €22.11
$11.26 ฿380
118.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.71 €28.49
$16.85 ฿569
88.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chios
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.79 €43.82
$67.2 ฿2,270
-27.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.92 €22.38
$10.73 ฿362
132.25%
Cinema Ticket
$9.46 €8.50
$7.50 ฿253
26.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chios
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$435 €391
$476 ฿16.1K
-8.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,094 €7,271
$11.3K ฿380.4K
-28.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chios
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.5 €87.5
$62.4 ฿2,106
56.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.59 €37.36
$28.41 ฿959
46.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.2 €86.4
$94.3 ฿3,184
2.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$85.8 ฿2,898
44.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chios
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$547 €492
$716 ฿24.2K
-23.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$411 €369
$491 ฿16.6K
-16.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$752 €675
$1,927 ฿65.1K
-61.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$605 €543
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-57.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,730 €2,453
$4,175 ฿141.0K
-34.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,134 €1,917
$3,045 ฿102.8K
-29.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chios
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$502 ฿17.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
5.57
-19.57%

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

Last update for Chios: October 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chios
$411
Phuket
$491 19.5% $80
Groceries & Markets
Chios
$282
Phuket
$266 5.6% $16
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chios
$259
Phuket
$124 51.9% $134
Eating Out
Chios
$241
Phuket
$122 49.6% $120
Clothing & Footwear
Chios
$162
Phuket
$122 24.6% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Chios
$68
Phuket
$82 21.5% $15
Getting Around
Chios
$67
Phuket
$71 6.1% $4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $547 in Chios versus $716 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 $45 in Chios versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $282 vs $266 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Chios
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
16:01 4:01 PM
21:01 9:01 PM
5 h ahead of Chios
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
53,408
79,308
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chios Phuket 7,930 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chios
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Chios vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chios or Phuket?
Chios costs about 17% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chios and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,233 per month in Chios and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chios or Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chios, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $547 there versus $716 in Phuket.
How do childcare costs compare in Chios and in Phuket?
Kindergarten costs $435 per month in Chios and $476 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chios or in Phuket?
Groceries cost about 6% more in Chios, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Chios or Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Phuket to $1,489 in Chios. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Chios compared to Phuket?
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.

Chios vs other spots: cost of living compared

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