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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,407 per month in Maia vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,840 per month in Maia vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Maia vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Maia costs about 90% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Maia sits 80% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.41 €9.90

$4.70 ฿154

142.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.38 €39.36

$45.37 ฿1,488

0.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 €7.82

$8.43 ฿276

6.88%

Cappuccino

$2.09 €1.81

$2.93 ฿96.0

-28.67%

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

$1.98 €1.72

$0.69 ฿22.48

186.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 €1.23

$0.37 ฿12.04

283.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 €2.03

$2.41 ฿79.0

-2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.92

$3.72 ฿122

-9.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 €0.96

$2.23 ฿73.2

-50.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 €1.25

$1.83 ฿60.1

-21.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 €1.49

$2.17 ฿71.1

-20.74%

Eggs

$3.02 €2.62

$2.21 ฿72.6

36.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.42 €9.91

$19.74 ฿647

-42.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.42 €6.44

$3.63 ฿119

104.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.89 €12.05

$13.53 ฿444

2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 €1.96

$3.28 ฿107

-31.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 €1.34

$1.61 ฿52.8

-3.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.69

$2.41 ฿79.0

-19.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.05

$2.08 ฿68.3

13.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 €1.43

$1.53 ฿50.1

7.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 €1.59

$1.48 ฿48.56

23.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.99 ฿32.42

50.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.51 ฿16.73

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.15 €5.33

$4.41 ฿144

39.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 €5.06

$19.38 ฿636

-69.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.78 ฿58.3

-35.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.71 ฿88.9

-15.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 €2.26

$1.37 ฿44.96

90.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.49 €39.46

$11.39 ฿374

299.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 €3.56

$3.02 ฿99.0

35.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 €0.65

$0.99 ฿32.61

-24.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.72 €12.77

$14.10 ฿462

4.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.68

$1.36 ฿44.68

41.91%

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

$34.1K €29.6K

$28.2K ฿924.7K

20.85%

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

$39.9K €34.6K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

21.32%

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

$138 €120

$122 ฿3,991

13.57%

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

$22.20 €19.26

$13.57 ฿445

63.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.26 €34.06

$18.31 ฿600

114.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.77 €40.58

$60.2 ฿1,975

-22.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.33 €30.65

$17.14 ฿562

106.13%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 €7.72

$8.69 ฿285

2.42%

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

$287 €249

$693 ฿22.7K

-58.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,256 €7,162

$15.7K ฿514.4K

-47.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.4 €63.7

$59.5 ฿1,952

23.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.24 €29.70

$34.77 ฿1,140

-1.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 €80.6

$115 ฿3,758

-18.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 €95.4

$83.3 ฿2,731

31.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 €965

$613 ฿20.1K

81.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,507 €1,307

$437 ฿14.3K

244.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,764 €1,530

$2,094 ฿68.7K

-15.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,088

$1,509 ฿49.5K

-16.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,164 €2,745

$3,749 ฿122.9K

-15.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 €1,487

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-34.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,484 €1,287

$508 ฿16.7K

192.06%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Maia versus $613 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 192% 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 $45.00 in Maia versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $293 – making Maia 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

Maia vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maia costs about 90% 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 $3,610 per month in Maia and $1,898 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 $45.00 in Maia and $45.00 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 $2,407 in Maia and $1,265 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 $1,265, than in Maia at $2,407. 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 $1,265 versus $2,407 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.