Cost of Living Comparison Between Ho and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Ho and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $687 in Ho versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,144 in Ho versus $2,054 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,601 in Ho versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Ho costs roughly 44% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Ho50% lower, Phuket10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ho
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.90GHS 90.7
$4.41฿147
79.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.3GHS 612
$32.26฿1,077
65.16%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.67GHS 122
$8.93฿298
19.48%
Cappuccino
$4.62GHS 53.0
$2.90฿96.6
59.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57GHS 17.98
$0.88฿29.38
78.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45GHS 5.15
$0.48฿16.06
-6.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.85GHS 21.25
$2.35฿78.5
-21.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25GHS 25.82
$3.72฿124
-39.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ho
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$3.76GHS 43.16
$1.87฿62.3
101.07%
White Bread(500g)
$1.71GHS 19.64
$1.47฿48.94
16.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.08GHS 35.32
$1.55฿51.8
98.71%
Eggs
$2.67GHS 30.65
$2.10฿70.1
27.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.37GHS 142
$19.59฿654
-36.86%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.19GHS 82.5
$3.42฿114
110.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.71GHS 111
$11.38฿380
-14.67%
Apples(1kg)
$3.71GHS 42.55
$2.98฿99.6
24.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.41GHS 16.23
$1.68฿56.2
-16.07%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.79GHS 20.54
$2.21฿73.7
-19.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.56GHS 40.89
$2.16฿72.1
64.81%
Potato(1kg)
$2.70GHS 30.97
$1.52฿50.9
77.63%
Onion(1kg)
$2.70GHS 31.05
$1.34฿44.67
101.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.76GHS 8.73
$1.13฿37.67
-32.74%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62GHS 7.06
$0.55฿18.24
12.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.63GHS 30.24
$4.26฿142
-38.26%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.36GHS 84.5
$19.09฿637
-61.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24GHS 14.29
$1.78฿59.4
-30.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37GHS 27.18
$2.78฿92.9
-14.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Ho
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.23฿74.4
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.74฿759
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.71GHS 19.65
$3.03฿101
-43.56%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.28GHS 14.66
$1.02฿34.15
25.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.31GHS 49.53
$3.89฿130
10.80%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31GHS 15.08
$1.49฿49.77
-12.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,848GHS 90.1K
$26.6K฿887.3K
-70.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$9,778GHS 112.2K
$27.0K฿902.2K
-63.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ho
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$73.1GHS 839
$102฿3,420
-28.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.44GHS 223
$11.33฿378
71.58%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.87GHS 504
$17.40฿581
152.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ho
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$52.1฿1,738
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.07฿370
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.01GHS 149
$7.69฿257
69.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ho
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$466GHS 5,352
$561฿18.7K
-16.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$18.5KGHS 211.8K
$11.5K฿384.1K
60.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ho
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.54GHS 167
$63.0฿2,104
-76.93%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.15GHS 220
$29.52฿986
-35.13%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$37.60GHS 432
$98.0฿3,272
-61.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$53.8GHS 617
$88.5฿2,954
-39.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ho
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$738฿24.6K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$482฿16.1K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,107฿70.3K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,226฿40.9K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,617฿120.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,603฿86.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ho
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
26.75
5.57
380.25%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ho: September 14, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $53.0 in Ho vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $274 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
Ho vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ho and in Phuket?
Ho and Phuket differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($687 vs $1,232 including rent). Ho is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Ho compared to Phuket?
You'd need roughly $1,030 in Ho and $1,847 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ho and Phuket?
Childcare runs $466 in Ho versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Ho – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $687 in Ho versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ho but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ho the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ho and Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Ho or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ho 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.
Where should expats move: Ho or Phuket?
Expats usually find Ho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.