Cost of Living Comparison Between Maia and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Maia and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,636 per month in Maia vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,479 per month in Maia vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,322 per month in Maia vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Maia costs about 31% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Maia sits 22% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.41 €10.00

$4.55 ฿153

150.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 €41.25

$46.18 ฿1,557

1.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 €8.30

$8.84 ฿298

7.01%

Cappuccino

$2.10 €1.84

$3.06 ฿103

-31.37%

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

$2.00 €1.75

$0.73 ฿24.46

173.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$0.40 ฿13.42

245.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 €2.01

$2.43 ฿82.0

-5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 €3.11

$3.78 ฿127

-6.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 €0.97

$2.26 ฿76.2

-50.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 €1.32

$1.81 ฿61.0

-17.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.48

$2.25 ฿76.0

-24.89%

Eggs

$3.13 €2.74

$2.25 ฿75.7

39.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 €9.91

$19.51 ฿658

-42.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.18 €6.30

$3.65 ฿123

96.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 €12.31

$13.05 ฿440

7.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.06

$3.23 ฿109

-27.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 €1.36

$1.62 ฿54.5

-4.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 €1.75

$2.38 ฿80.3

-15.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 €2.14

$2.03 ฿68.3

20.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 €1.43

$1.53 ฿51.7

6.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 €1.68

$1.50 ฿50.6

27.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.36

$0.98 ฿32.99

58.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.68

$0.52 ฿17.43

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.16 €5.40

$4.44 ฿150

38.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.68 €4.10

$18.32 ฿618

-74.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.86 ฿62.8

-41.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.08

$2.68 ฿90.4

-11.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.63 €2.31

$1.41 ฿47.57

86.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.68 €40.05

$11.70 ฿394

290.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.58

$3.11 ฿105

31.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 €0.65

$1.04 ฿35.14

-27.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.31 €12.55

$14.11 ฿476

1.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.31 ฿44.20

51.15%

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

$34.1K €29.9K

$27.8K ฿937.7K

22.62%

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

$39.3K €34.5K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

18.35%

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

$141 €124

$122 ฿4,127

15.38%

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

$21.96 €19.25

$13.59 ฿458

61.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.20 €34.37

$18.70 ฿630

109.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.87 €41.10

$60.5 ฿2,039

-22.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.66 €30.39

$16.98 ฿573

104.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.88 €7.78

$9.07 ฿306

-2.09%

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

$290 €254

$706 ฿23.8K

-58.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,437 €7,397

$15.8K ฿532.8K

-46.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.1 €65.0

$58.6 ฿1,974

26.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.50 €30.25

$35.36 ฿1,192

-2.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 €81.0

$115 ฿3,892

-19.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 €97.9

$83.7 ฿2,823

33.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 €982

$626 ฿21.1K

79.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 €630

$445 ฿15.0K

61.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 €1,525

$2,040 ฿68.8K

-14.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 €1,131

$1,492 ฿50.3K

-13.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,119 €2,735

$3,483 ฿117.4K

-10.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 €1,526

$2,577 ฿86.9K

-32.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,445 €1,267

$500 ฿16.8K

189.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

5.33

1.88%

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

Last update for Maia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Maia 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.

Salaries run about 189% higher in Maia, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Maia versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Maia vs $289 in Phuket – so Maia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Maia vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maia costs about 31% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,454 per month in Maia 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 Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Maia and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,636 in Maia and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Maia at $1,636. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,250 versus $1,636 in Maia. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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