Cost of Living Comparison Between Chios and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Chios and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Chios vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,162 per month in Chios vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,897 per month in Chios vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Chios costs about 16% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chios sits 7% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.42 €9.75

$4.63 ฿151

146.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 €47.67

$46.84 ฿1,523

19.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 €9.47

$8.84 ฿287

25.45%

Cappuccino

$3.95 €3.37

$3.00 ฿97.4

31.67%

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

$2.55 €2.18

$0.74 ฿24.11

244.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 €0.63

$0.37 ฿11.88

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.72 €4.03

$2.44 ฿79.3

93.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 €4.04

$3.61 ฿117

31.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.46

$2.26 ฿73.5

-24.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 €1.22

$1.84 ฿59.8

-22.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 €2.12

$2.24 ฿73.0

10.71%

Eggs

$4.18 €3.57

$2.32 ฿75.3

80.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.77 €11.76

$19.67 ฿639

-29.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.58 €8.18

$3.65 ฿119

162.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 €11.66

$13.10 ฿426

4.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 €1.91

$3.39 ฿110

-33.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.74

$1.64 ฿53.4

23.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 €1.29

$2.41 ฿78.5

-37.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.74

$2.03 ฿66.0

0.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.56 ฿50.6

-21.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.50 ฿48.66

-17.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 €0.86

$1.02 ฿33.30

-0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.64

$0.49 ฿15.91

53.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 €4.64

$4.45 ฿145

22.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 €6.57

$18.88 ฿614

-59.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 €1.78

$1.78 ฿57.7

16.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 €2.29

$2.75 ฿89.5

-2.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.40 ฿45.54

8.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.96 €39.25

$11.48 ฿373

300.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 €3.91

$3.12 ฿101

46.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.62 €11.63

$14.09 ฿458

-3.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 €1.93

$1.35 ฿43.93

67.41%

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

$31.1K €26.5K

$27.2K ฿883.7K

14.25%

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

$26.1K €22.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-20.64%

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

$212 €181

$125 ฿4,063

69.32%

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

$23.20 €19.81

$13.57 ฿441

70.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.72 €27.94

$18.52 ฿602

76.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 €41.04

$61.5 ฿1,999

-21.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 €22.67

$16.84 ฿547

57.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.58 €8.18

$9.19 ฿299

4.24%

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

$424 €362

$698 ฿22.7K

-39.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,962 €5,092

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-61.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.1 €74.4

$57.8 ฿1,878

50.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.96 €33.28

$35.24 ฿1,146

10.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 €74.7

$113 ฿3,677

-22.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €92.6

$86.4 ฿2,808

25.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 €421

$616 ฿20.0K

-19.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 €336

$446 ฿14.5K

-11.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$772 €660

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-62.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$609 €520

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-59.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,485 €2,976

$3,779 ฿122.8K

-7.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,689 €2,297

$2,649 ฿86.1K

1.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

5.33

-16.89%

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

Last update for Chios: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $493 in Chios 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 $56.0 in Chios versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Chios vs $292 in Phuket – so Chios 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

Chios vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chios costs about 16% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,141 per month in Chios 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.

Kindergarten costs $424 per month in Chios and $698 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chios – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Chios at $1,427. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chios it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $1,427 in Chios. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chios makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.