Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahe and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahe and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,831 in Mahe versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,484 in Mahe versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,138 in Mahe versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Mahe is roughly 46% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mahe is 37% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.62 SCR 224

$4.55 ฿153

243.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 SCR 1,004

$46.18 ฿1,553

51.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 SCR 112

$8.84 ฿297

-11.54%

Cappuccino

$4.34 SCR 62.3

$3.06 ฿103

41.83%

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

$2.29 SCR 32.85

$0.73 ฿24.40

213.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SCR 25.10

$0.40 ฿13.39

337.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.43 SCR 121

$2.43 ฿81.8

246.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.26 SCR 75.3

$3.78 ฿127

39.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SCR 21.95

$2.26 ฿76.0

-32.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 SCR 14.87

$1.81 ฿60.9

-42.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 SCR 25.31

$2.25 ฿75.8

-21.33%

Eggs

$4.09 SCR 58.6

$2.25 ฿75.5

81.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.62 SCR 224

$19.51 ฿656

-19.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 SCR 112

$3.65 ฿123

114.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.50 SCR 179

$13.05 ฿439

-4.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 SCR 28.94

$3.23 ฿109

-37.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 SCR 32.15

$2.38 ฿80.1

-5.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 SCR 72.8

$2.03 ฿68.1

150.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 SCR 14.24

$1.53 ฿51.6

-35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 SCR 13.44

$1.50 ฿50.5

-37.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 SCR 14.71

$0.98 ฿32.91

5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.97 SCR 172

$4.44 ฿149

169.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SCR 29.01

$1.86 ฿62.7

8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 SCR 29.36

$2.68 ฿90.1

-23.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 SCR 12.18

$1.41 ฿47.46

-39.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.36 SCR 349

$11.70 ฿393

108.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.51 SCR 151

$3.11 ฿105

237.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 SCR 45.40

$1.04 ฿35.06

204.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.43 SCR 149

$14.11 ฿474

-26.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 SCR 22.42

$1.31 ฿44.10

19.85%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$83.0 SCR 1,189

$122 ฿4,118

-32.25%

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

$20.78 SCR 298

$13.59 ฿457

52.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$159 SCR 2,276

$18.70 ฿629

749.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 SCR 744

$60.5 ฿2,034

-14.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 SCR 90.0

$9.07 ฿305

-30.76%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.08 SCR 388

$58.6 ฿1,969

-53.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.80 SCR 155

$35.36 ฿1,189

-69.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.76 SCR 627

$115 ฿3,883

-62.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.5 SCR 794

$83.7 ฿2,816

-33.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 SCR 12.1K

$626 ฿21.0K

34.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 SCR 12.3K

$445 ฿15.0K

93.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,717 SCR 24.6K

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-15.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 SCR 14.9K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-30.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 SCR 12.7K

$500 ฿16.8K

77.17%

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 Mahe: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $844 in Mahe and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahe pays 77% 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: $70.0 in Mahe vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $240 vs $289, with Mahe 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

Mahe vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Mahe. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 77% higher in Mahe, 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: $844 in Mahe versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mahe pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,831 per month in Mahe versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,831 in Mahe, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mahe. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,250 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mahe 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 46% less than in Mahe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.