Cost of Living Comparison Between Hat Yai and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Hat Yai and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $752 in Hat Yai versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,338 in Hat Yai versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,925 in Hat Yai versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Hat Yai costs roughly 40% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hat Yai 44% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 ฿106

$4.55 ฿153

-30.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.15 ฿1,549

$46.18 ฿1,550

-0.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 ฿141

$8.84 ฿297

-52.49%

Cappuccino

$2.71 ฿91.1

$3.06 ฿103

-11.44%

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

$1.17 ฿39.32

$0.73 ฿24.36

60.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.94

$0.40 ฿13.37

17.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.43 ฿81.6

-23.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 ฿126

$3.78 ฿127

-1.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ฿52.5

$2.26 ฿75.8

-30.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ฿41.50

$1.81 ฿60.8

-31.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.34

$2.25 ฿75.7

-42.67%

Eggs

$2.57 ฿86.4

$2.25 ฿75.4

14.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.76 ฿764

$19.51 ฿655

16.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.37 ฿79.6

$3.65 ฿122

-35.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿382

$13.05 ฿438

-12.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 ฿85.6

$3.23 ฿109

-21.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ฿47.72

$1.62 ฿54.3

-12.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ฿67.7

$2.38 ฿80.0

-15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿53.2

$2.03 ฿68.0

-22.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿49.12

$1.53 ฿51.5

-4.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.14

$1.50 ฿50.4

-26.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ฿33.58

$0.98 ฿32.85

2.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.91

$0.52 ฿17.36

-32.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿152

$4.44 ฿149

1.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.76 ฿496

$18.32 ฿615

-19.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.0

$1.86 ฿62.6

-0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ฿68.5

$2.68 ฿90.0

-23.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 ฿21.82

$1.41 ฿47.37

-53.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ฿36.67

$3.11 ฿104

-64.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿40.11

$1.04 ฿35.00

14.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.06 ฿203

$14.11 ฿474

-57.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿45.05

$1.31 ฿44.02

2.29%

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

$19.5K ฿656.1K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

-29.73%

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

$45.5K ฿1.5M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

36.90%

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

$89.2 ฿2,996

$122 ฿4,110

-27.12%

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

$13.80 ฿463

$13.59 ฿456

1.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.00 ฿336

$18.70 ฿628

-46.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.83 ฿1,673

$60.5 ฿2,031

-17.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.07 ฿405

$16.98 ฿570

-28.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 ฿255

$9.07 ฿305

-16.32%

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

$295 ฿9,900

$706 ฿23.7K

-58.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,571 ฿321.3K

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-39.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.26 ฿1,318

$58.6 ฿1,965

-32.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.51 ฿924

$35.36 ฿1,187

-22.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.1 ฿2,454

$115 ฿3,876

-36.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,386

$83.7 ฿2,811

-15.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 ฿9,126

$626 ฿21.0K

-56.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 ฿3,862

$445 ฿14.9K

-74.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 ฿25.3K

$2,040 ฿68.5K

-63.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 ฿13.9K

$1,492 ฿50.1K

-72.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,937 ฿65.0K

$3,483 ฿116.9K

-44.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,250 ฿42.0K

$2,577 ฿86.5K

-51.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$459 ฿15.4K

$500 ฿16.8K

-8.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

5.33

19.32%

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

Last update for Hat Yai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $272 in Hat Yai and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 9% 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: $46.00 in Hat Yai vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $289 per month, with Hat Yai 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

Hat Yai vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hat Yai wins on cost – living expenses run 66% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hat Yai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $272 in Hat Yai versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $295 in Hat Yai versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $752 in Hat Yai versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hat Yai but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Hat Yai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Hat Yai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $752 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hat Yai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Hat Yai 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 Hat Yai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.