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: $1,410 in Les Escaldes versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,285 in Les Escaldes versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,160 in Les Escaldes versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Les Escaldes is roughly 12% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Les Escaldes is 5% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.13 €13.04

$4.56 ฿149

231.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.92 €28.36

$46.63 ฿1,519

-29.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 €5.91

$8.47 ฿276

-19.01%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

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

$1.78 €1.53

$0.69 ฿22.45

157.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

$0.37 ฿11.92

205.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 €1.38

$2.20 ฿71.6

-27.27%

Eggs

$1.72 €1.48

$2.22 ฿72.4

-22.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 €6.80

$19.99 ฿651

-60.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €0.99

$0.52 ฿16.83

121.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$6.86 €5.91

$18.79 ฿612

-63.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.1 €44.06

$11.36 ฿370

350.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 €2.01

$3.14 ฿102

-25.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$40.81 €35.16

$124 ฿4,025

-66.98%

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

$13.52 ฿440

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 €44.27

$18.69 ฿609

174.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.3 €80.3

$61.8 ฿2,013

50.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 €10.10

$17.25 ฿562

-32.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.53 €8.21

$9.14 ฿298

4.27%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €91.1

$59.5 ฿1,937

77.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 €50.0

$35.07 ฿1,142

65.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 €69.2

$115 ฿3,754

-30.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.9 €80.9

$84.1 ฿2,737

11.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 €803

$619 ฿20.1K

50.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 €703

$433 ฿14.1K

88.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,220 €1,913

$2,062 ฿67.2K

7.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 €1,493

$1,511 ฿49.2K

14.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K €9,970

$2,626 ฿85.5K

340.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,720 €2,343

$507 ฿16.5K

436.42%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $932 in Les Escaldes and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Les Escaldes pays 436% 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 $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $64.0 vs $293 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 12% in total monthly costs ($1,410 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Les Escaldes pays 436% more on average, 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: $932 in Les Escaldes versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Les Escaldes pay roughly 354% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,410 per month in Les Escaldes versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,410 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 12% less than in Les Escaldes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.