😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,645 in Iglesias versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,487 in Iglesias versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Iglesias versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Iglesias is roughly 30% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Iglesias is 23% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Iglesias
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.03€19.82
$4.70฿153
390.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.8€59.2
$45.37฿1,482
51.62%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.89€9.37
$8.43฿275
29.18%
Cappuccino
$1.85€1.59
$2.93฿95.6
-36.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93€2.52
$0.69฿22.40
324.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18€1.02
$0.37฿11.99
218.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.64€4.85
$2.41฿78.6
134.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.76€4.09
$3.72฿122
27.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Iglesias
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.17€1.01
$2.23฿72.9
-47.53%
White Bread(500g)
$1.14€0.98
$1.83฿59.8
-37.70%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.76€1.51
$2.17฿70.8
-18.89%
Eggs
$3.33€2.87
$2.21฿72.3
50.68%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.05€14.68
$19.74฿645
-13.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.38€6.35
$3.63฿119
103.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.62€6.56
$13.53฿442
-43.68%
Apples(1kg)
$2.46€2.12
$3.28฿107
-25.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.75€1.51
$1.61฿52.6
8.70%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27€1.95
$2.41฿78.6
-5.81%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.78€1.53
$2.08฿68.1
-14.42%
Potato(1kg)
$1.90€1.63
$1.53฿49.93
24.18%
Onion(1kg)
$2.05€1.77
$1.48฿48.36
38.51%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.39€1.20
$0.99฿32.29
40.40%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55€0.48
$0.51฿16.67
7.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.64€5.72
$4.41฿144
50.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.33€4.59
$19.38฿633
-72.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70€1.46
$1.78฿58.1
-4.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35€1.16
$2.71฿88.6
-50.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Iglesias
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.71€1.47
$1.37฿44.79
24.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$43.38€37.34
$11.39฿372
280.86%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.83€3.29
$3.02฿98.6
26.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.12€0.96
$0.99฿32.48
13.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.57€25.45
$14.10฿461
109.72%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.05€1.77
$1.36฿44.51
50.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K€29.0K
$28.2K฿921.1K
19.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.1K€30.2K
$32.9K฿1.1M
6.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iglesias
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$179€154
$122฿3,975
46.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.68€10.06
$13.57฿443
-13.93%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.60€26.34
$18.31฿598
67.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Iglesias
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.3€46.71
$60.2฿1,967
-9.91%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.19€19.96
$17.14฿560
35.30%
Cinema Ticket
$9.09€7.83
$8.69฿284
4.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Iglesias
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$531€457
$693฿22.6K
-23.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,832€6,742
$15.7K฿512.3K
-50.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Iglesias
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.1€80.2
$59.5฿1,944
56.43%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.4€54.6
$34.77฿1,136
82.46%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$86.0€74.0
$115฿3,743
-24.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118€102
$83.3฿2,720
41.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Iglesias
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$756€651
$613฿20.0K
23.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$585€504
$437฿14.3K
33.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,215€1,046
$2,094฿68.4K
-41.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$924€795
$1,509฿49.3K
-38.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,717€2,339
$3,749฿122.5K
-27.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,983€1,707
$2,616฿85.4K
-24.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Iglesias
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.87
5.33
-8.63%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Iglesias: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Iglesias and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $69.0 in Iglesias vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $239 vs $293, with Iglesias cheaper for home cooking.
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
Iglesias vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Iglesias and Phuket?
Iglesias and Phuket differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,645 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Iglesias compared to Phuket?
You'd need roughly $2,468 in Iglesias and $1,898 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Iglesias and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Iglesias versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Iglesias pay roughly 23% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $69.0 in Iglesias. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,645 in Iglesias, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Iglesias. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Iglesias 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 Iglesias or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Iglesias 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: Iglesias or Phuket?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Iglesias. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.