Cost of Living Comparison Between Les Escaldes and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Les Escaldes and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Les Escaldes versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,302 in Les Escaldes versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,166 in Les Escaldes versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Les Escaldes is roughly 14% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Les Escaldes is 8% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.77 €12.79

$4.48 ฿150

229.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 €28.46

$45.59 ฿1,521

-27.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 €5.89

$8.76 ฿292

-22.26%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

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

$1.77 €1.54

$0.69 ฿22.90

156.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.03

$0.39 ฿13.04

205.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$2.18 ฿72.9

-27.06%

Eggs

$1.79 €1.55

$2.25 ฿75.0

-20.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 €7.22

$20.00 ฿667

-58.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.48 ฿16.09

145.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$6.87 €5.95

$18.57 ฿620

-63.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.1 €44.22

$11.57 ฿386

341.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 €2.04

$3.17 ฿106

-25.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

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

$40.92 €35.44

$123 ฿4,105

-66.75%

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

$13.77 ฿459

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 €44.73

$18.33 ฿611

181.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.2 €81.6

$60.7 ฿2,025

55.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 €10.15

$17.16 ฿573

-31.70%

Cinema Ticket

$9.34 €8.09

$8.87 ฿296

5.30%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.1

$59.3 ฿1,978

73.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 €49.13

$34.69 ฿1,157

63.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 €70.0

$115 ฿3,843

-29.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 €78.7

$83.8 ฿2,794

8.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 €805

$621 ฿20.7K

49.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$803 €695

$446 ฿14.9K

80.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,186 €1,893

$2,034 ฿67.8K

7.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,719 €1,489

$1,496 ฿49.9K

14.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K €9,818

$2,531 ฿84.4K

347.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,686 €2,326

$494 ฿16.5K

444.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Les Escaldes: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $930 in Les Escaldes and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Les Escaldes pays 444% 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: $33.00 in Les Escaldes vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $66.0 vs $291 per month, with Les Escaldes 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

Les Escaldes vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Les Escaldes and Phuket differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $1,264 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 444% higher in Les Escaldes, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $930 in Les Escaldes versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Les Escaldes pay roughly 338% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Les Escaldes versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,438 in Les Escaldes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Les Escaldes. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Les Escaldes 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Les Escaldes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.