Cost of Living Comparison Between Manati and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Manati and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,976 per month in Manati vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,943 per month in Manati vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,910 per month in Manati vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Manati costs about 58% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Manati sits 48% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.08 $10.08

$4.55 ฿153

121.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 $59.1

$46.18 ฿1,550

28.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 $7.87

$8.84 ฿297

-10.97%

Cappuccino

$1.98 $1.98

$3.06 ฿103

-35.29%

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

$0.98 $0.98

$0.73 ฿24.36

34.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.40 ฿13.37

155.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.43 ฿81.6

-37.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.78 ฿127

-18.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.26 ฿75.8

7.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$1.81 ฿60.8

95.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.25 ฿75.7

-4.00%

Eggs

$5.99 $5.99

$2.25 ฿75.4

166.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 $8.70

$19.51 ฿655

-55.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 $8.45

$3.65 ฿122

131.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 $12.92

$13.05 ฿438

-1.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.23 ฿109

81.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.62 ฿54.3

67.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.38 ฿80.0

60.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.03 ฿68.0

97.04%

Potato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.53 ฿51.5

166.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.50 ฿50.4

96.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 $3.11

$0.98 ฿32.85

217.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.52 ฿17.36

271.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.89 $11.89

$4.44 ฿149

167.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 $15.76

$18.32 ฿615

-13.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.86 ฿62.6

38.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.68 ฿90.0

19.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿104

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.04 ฿35.00

48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.20 $15.20

$14.11 ฿474

7.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.31 ฿44.02

-26.72%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

31.69%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-21.37%

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

$348 $348

$122 ฿4,110

184.06%

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

$79.4 $79.4

$13.59 ฿456

484.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.8 $74.8

$18.70 ฿628

300.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,031

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿570

Cinema Ticket

$12.16 $12.16

$9.07 ฿305

34.07%

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

$477 $477

$706 ฿23.7K

-32.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-33.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.35 $45.35

$58.6 ฿1,965

-22.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 $55.4

$35.36 ฿1,187

56.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 $92.8

$115 ฿3,876

-19.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$83.7 ฿2,811

26.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 $764

$626 ฿21.0K

22.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 $800

$445 ฿14.9K

79.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,828 $1,828

$2,040 ฿68.5K

-10.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,502 $1,502

$1,492 ฿50.1K

0.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿116.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$790 $790

$500 ฿16.8K

57.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.33

7.13%

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

Last update for Manati: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $764 in Manati 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 58% higher in Manati, 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 $59.0 in Manati versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $289 – making Phuket 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

Manati vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manati costs about 58% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,964 per month in Manati 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,976 in Manati and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $477 per month in Manati and $706 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Manati at $1,976. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,250 versus $1,976 in Manati. 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, Manati makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.