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 $1,485 per month in El Medano vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,434 per month in El Medano vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in El Medano vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

El Medano costs about 18% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

El Medano sits 8% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.92 €16.28

$4.56 ฿150

314.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.3 €56.2

$32.62 ฿1,072

100.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 €10.07

$8.90 ฿293

31.57%

Cappuccino

$2.05 €1.76

$2.80 ฿92.2

-26.79%

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

$2.02 €1.74

$0.88 ฿28.93

129.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.49 ฿16.08

163.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 €2.53

$2.39 ฿78.5

23.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 €3.07

$3.71 ฿122

-4.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.79 ฿58.7

-30.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 €2.15

$1.44 ฿47.38

72.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.58 ฿52.1

Eggs

$4.25 €3.66

$2.13 ฿69.9

99.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.00 €12.91

$19.92 ฿655

-24.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 €7.99

$3.43 ฿113

170.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.50 €15.92

$11.33 ฿372

63.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 €2.17

$2.95 ฿96.9

-14.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.72 ฿56.6

38.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.32 ฿76.4

-4.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.34

$2.08 ฿68.4

30.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 €1.93

$1.47 ฿48.33

53.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.36 ฿44.64

53.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.10 ฿36.12

58.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 €0.64

$0.57 ฿18.89

29.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.80 €4.99

$4.27 ฿140

35.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 €6.64

$18.42 ฿605

-58.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.87 ฿61.5

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$2.92 ฿96.0

-51.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.47

$2.22 ฿72.9

-23.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.25

$22.90 ฿753

12.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 €3.79

$3.03 ฿99.6

45.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.07 ฿35.31

61.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.76 €15.28

$3.93 ฿129

351.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.49 ฿49.04

-8.05%

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

$27.9K €24.0K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

2.70%

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

$30.5K €26.2K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

11.02%

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

$104 €89.2

$103 ฿3,379

0.87%

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

$23.02 €19.81

$10.99 ฿361

109.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.30 €31.24

$17.51 ฿576

107.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.93 €39.53

$53.5 ฿1,760

-14.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.09 €13.85

$11.20 ฿368

43.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 €8.56

$7.48 ฿246

33.02%

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

$429 €369

$557 ฿18.3K

-22.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,328 €4,585

$11.9K ฿389.6K

-55.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.1 €84.4

$64.1 ฿2,106

53.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 €38.22

$29.07 ฿956

52.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.5

$96.0 ฿3,154

-2.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €99.1

$90.3 ฿2,970

27.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 €814

$730 ฿24.0K

29.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 €426

$500 ฿16.4K

-1.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,370 €1,178

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-34.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 €896

$1,209 ฿39.7K

-13.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,511 €3,021

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-2.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,270 €1,953

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-9.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.56

5.57

-36.09%

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

Last update for El Medano: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $946 in El Medano 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in El Medano versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $311 vs $273 – making Phuket 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,485 in El Medano, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 18% apart. El Medano costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,227 per month in El Medano 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 Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $429 per month in El Medano and $557 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in El Medano, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in El Medano at $1,485. 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 $1,253 in Phuket to $1,485 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.