Cost of Living Comparison Between Leon and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Leon and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $709 per month in Leon vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,126 per month in Leon vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,543 per month in Leon vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Leon is about 43% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Leon and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Leon 47% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 NIO 183

$4.55 ฿153

9.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.06 NIO 1,284

$46.18 ฿1,554

-24.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 NIO 253

$8.84 ฿298

-21.95%

Cappuccino

$2.37 NIO 86.9

$3.06 ฿103

-22.55%

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

$0.80 NIO 29.28

$0.73 ฿24.42

9.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NIO 27.26

$0.40 ฿13.40

85.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.34 NIO 48.93

$2.43 ฿81.8

-44.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 NIO 73.6

$3.78 ฿127

-46.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 NIO 44.57

$2.26 ฿76.0

-46.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 NIO 86.2

$1.81 ฿60.9

29.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NIO 66.7

$2.25 ฿75.8

-19.11%

Eggs

$2.35 NIO 86.2

$2.25 ฿75.6

4.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 NIO 408

$19.51 ฿656

-42.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 NIO 243

$3.65 ฿123

81.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 NIO 286

$13.05 ฿439

-40.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.87 NIO 142

$3.23 ฿109

19.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 NIO 32.81

$1.62 ฿54.4

-44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 NIO 64.1

$2.38 ฿80.2

-26.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 NIO 81.2

$2.03 ฿68.2

9.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.84 NIO 141

$1.53 ฿51.6

150.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 NIO 78.6

$1.50 ฿50.5

43.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 NIO 38.76

$0.98 ฿32.93

8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 NIO 37.24

$0.52 ฿17.40

96.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 NIO 98.9

$4.44 ฿149

-39.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 NIO 539

$18.32 ฿616

-19.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.6

$1.86 ฿62.7

-21.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NIO 80.5

$2.68 ฿90.2

-17.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 NIO 54.4

$3.11 ฿105

-52.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.67 NIO 244

$14.11 ฿475

-52.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 NIO 49.09

$1.31 ฿44.13

2.29%

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

$22.7K NIO 829.8K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-18.55%

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

$26.3K NIO 964.4K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-20.73%

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

$97.8 NIO 3,583

$122 ฿4,120

-20.09%

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

$17.03 NIO 624

$13.59 ฿457

25.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.69 NIO 1,344

$18.70 ฿629

96.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 NIO 288

$9.07 ฿305

-13.23%

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

$124 NIO 4,531

$706 ฿23.8K

-82.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 NIO 219.1K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-62.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.8 NIO 2,851

$58.6 ฿1,970

32.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.9 NIO 2,670

$35.36 ฿1,190

106.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 NIO 4,942

$115 ฿3,885

16.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 NIO 3,885

$83.7 ฿2,818

26.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 NIO 14.6K

$626 ฿21.1K

-36.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

5.33

92.31%

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

Last update for Leon: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $400 in Leon versus $626 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 $35.00 in Leon versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $289 – making Leon 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

Leon vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,063 per month in Leon and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Leon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $709 in Leon and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $124 per month in Leon and $706 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Leon, where all-in costs run around $709, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Leon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Leon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Leon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.