Cost of Living Comparison Between El Medano and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between El Medano and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,344 per month in El Medano vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,642 per month in El Medano vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,939 per month in El Medano vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

El Medano costs about 6% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

El Medano sits 0% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.33 €14.91

$4.70 ฿153

268.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 €49.99

$45.37 ฿1,482

28.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 €9.10

$8.43 ฿275

25.50%

Cappuccino

$2.01 €1.73

$2.93 ฿95.6

-31.40%

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

$1.84 €1.59

$0.69 ฿22.40

166.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.87

$0.37 ฿11.99

172.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 €2.53

$2.41 ฿78.6

21.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 €2.86

$3.72 ฿122

-10.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$2.23 ฿72.9

-42.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.83 ฿59.8

-6.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 €1.25

$2.17 ฿70.8

-33.18%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.73

$2.21 ฿72.3

43.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.98 €12.89

$19.74 ฿645

-24.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.28 €7.12

$3.63 ฿119

128.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.40 €12.38

$13.53 ฿442

6.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$3.28 ฿107

-25.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.61 ฿52.6

9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$2.41 ฿78.6

-31.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$2.08 ฿68.1

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.53 ฿49.93

2.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.48 ฿48.36

18.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.28

$0.99 ฿32.29

49.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 €0.56

$0.51 ฿16.67

29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 €4.41

$4.41 ฿144

16.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 €6.87

$19.38 ฿633

-58.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.32

$1.78 ฿58.1

-13.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.71 ฿88.6

-49.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.37 ฿44.79

24.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.12 €14.72

$11.39 ฿372

50.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 €4.01

$3.02 ฿98.6

54.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 €1.15

$0.99 ฿32.48

35.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.17 €14.77

$14.10 ฿461

21.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.12

$1.36 ฿44.51

-3.68%

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

$28.1K €24.2K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-0.39%

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

$29.8K €25.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-9.35%

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

$89.3 €76.8

$122 ฿3,975

-26.61%

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

$21.72 €18.68

$13.57 ฿443

60.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.73 €26.43

$18.31 ฿598

67.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 €39.38

$60.2 ฿1,967

-23.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.96 €12.87

$17.14 ฿560

-12.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.58 €8.24

$8.69 ฿284

10.24%

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

$342 €295

$693 ฿22.6K

-50.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,321 €7,158

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-46.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.4 €71.8

$59.5 ฿1,944

40.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.89 €29.15

$34.77 ฿1,136

-2.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 €72.7

$115 ฿3,743

-26.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 €59.9

$83.3 ฿2,720

-16.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 €913

$613 ฿20.0K

73.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 €419

$437 ฿14.3K

11.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 €1,622

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-9.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 €1,569

$1,509 ฿49.3K

20.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,431 €2,951

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-8.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 €2,037

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-9.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

5.33

-34.33%

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

Last update for El Medano: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in El Medano versus $613 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 $58.0 in El Medano versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $269 in El Medano vs $293 in Phuket – so El Medano 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

El Medano vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,344 in El Medano, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 6% apart. El Medano costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,017 per month in El Medano and $1,898 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 $342 per month in El Medano and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in El Medano – 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 $1,265, than in El Medano at $1,344. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in El Medano it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Phuket to $1,344 in El Medano. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, El Medano makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.