Cost of Living Comparison Between Curridabat and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Curridabat and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,620 in Curridabat versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,416 in Curridabat versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,213 in Curridabat versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Curridabat is roughly 28% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Curridabat is 22% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.05 ₡4,954

$4.48 ฿150

146.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 ₡26.6K

$45.59 ฿1,521

29.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 ₡3,947

$8.76 ฿292

0.46%

Cappuccino

$3.62 ₡1,624

$2.97 ฿99.0

21.89%

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

$1.99 ₡895

$0.69 ฿22.90

188.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₡679

$0.39 ฿13.04

287.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 ₡1,297

$2.53 ฿84.4

14.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 ₡2,132

$3.75 ฿125

26.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ₡887

$2.15 ฿71.6

-7.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 ₡1,238

$1.82 ฿60.6

51.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ₡1,004

$2.18 ฿72.9

2.75%

Eggs

$2.89 ₡1,297

$2.25 ฿75.0

28.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 ₡4,582

$20.00 ฿667

-48.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.85 ₡3,970

$3.63 ฿121

143.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 ₡6,235

$13.56 ฿452

2.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 ₡1,977

$3.24 ฿108

36.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₡675

$1.64 ฿54.6

-7.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 ₡1,887

$2.33 ฿77.8

80.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 ₡1,615

$2.07 ฿69.1

73.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.53 ₡1,584

$1.55 ฿51.6

127.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 ₡1,415

$1.46 ฿48.54

115.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₡435

$0.98 ฿32.86

-1.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₡1,328

$0.48 ฿16.09

516.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.25 ₡2,354

$4.35 ฿145

20.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.97 ₡9,851

$18.57 ฿620

18.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 ₡1,112

$1.86 ฿61.9

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₡1,307

$2.65 ฿88.6

10.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ₡423

$1.42 ฿47.28

-33.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₡842

$3.17 ฿106

-40.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 ₡836

$1.03 ฿34.41

80.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 ₡3,434

$13.89 ฿463

-44.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₡624

$1.34 ฿44.84

3.73%

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

$37.6K ₡16.9M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

35.23%

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

$32.5K ₡14.6M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-2.66%

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

$93.2 ₡41.8K

$123 ฿4,105

-24.30%

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

$25.88 ₡11.6K

$13.77 ฿459

87.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 ₡27.1K

$18.33 ฿611

229.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$60.7 ฿2,025

-8.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.20 ₡10.9K

$17.16 ฿573

41.03%

Cinema Ticket

$10.13 ₡4,543

$8.87 ฿296

14.21%

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

$558 ₡250.0K

$688 ฿22.9K

-18.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.7M

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-19.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ₡28.2K

$59.3 ฿1,978

6.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 ₡23.2K

$34.69 ฿1,157

48.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡55.6K

$115 ฿3,843

7.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.0K

$83.8 ฿2,794

27.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 ₡346.7K

$621 ฿20.7K

24.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₡264.3K

$446 ฿14.9K

32.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 ₡687.9K

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-24.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$964 ₡432.4K

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-35.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ₡224.2K

$494 ฿16.5K

1.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

5.33

90.81%

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

Last update for Curridabat: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $773 in Curridabat and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Curridabat pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $59.0 in Curridabat vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $291 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

Curridabat vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Curridabat, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $773 in Curridabat versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $558 in Curridabat versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $59.0 in Curridabat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,620 in Curridabat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Curridabat. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Curridabat, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Curridabat and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Curridabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.