🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $810 in Mandeville versus $1,265 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Mandeville versus $2,089 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Mandeville versus $2,913 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Mandeville costs roughly 36% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Mandeville41% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mandeville
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.21JMD 975
$4.66฿154
33.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.7JMD 11.6K
$32.22฿1,065
128.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.94JMD 1,404
$8.68฿287
3.00%
Cappuccino
$2.20JMD 345
$2.90฿95.8
-24.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08JMD 170
$0.84฿27.89
28.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74JMD 116
$0.49฿16.16
51.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.15JMD 338
$2.48฿82.0
-13.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91JMD 457
$3.73฿123
-21.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mandeville
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$4.12JMD 648
$1.89฿62.3
117.99%
White Bread(500g)
$1.87JMD 293
$1.41฿46.54
32.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.60JMD 251
$1.62฿53.6
-1.23%
Eggs
$3.62JMD 569
$2.24฿74.1
61.61%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.30JMD 1,775
$19.84฿656
-43.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.50JMD 1,020
$3.48฿115
86.78%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.33JMD 1,623
$11.37฿376
-9.15%
Apples(1kg)
$6.25JMD 982
$2.90฿95.8
115.52%
Banana(1kg)
$3.86JMD 607
$1.72฿57.0
124.42%
Oranges(1kg)
$7.40JMD 1,163
$2.27฿75.1
225.99%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.14JMD 493
$2.13฿70.4
47.42%
Potato(1kg)
$3.26JMD 512
$1.47฿48.72
121.77%
Onion(1kg)
$2.69JMD 422
$1.42฿46.92
89.44%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.11JMD 489
$1.10฿36.25
182.73%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52JMD 239
$0.60฿19.76
153.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.13JMD 1,276
$4.31฿142
88.63%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.35JMD 1,783
$18.60฿615
-38.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.85JMD 448
$1.80฿59.5
58.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.11JMD 646
$2.97฿98.0
38.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Mandeville
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.25฿74.2
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$23.49฿776
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.19JMD 187
$3.10฿102
-61.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.13JMD 491
$1.08฿35.56
189.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.22JMD 977
$3.87฿128
60.72%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35JMD 212
$1.43฿47.16
-5.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.4KJMD 6.8M
$27.8K฿918.0K
56.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3KJMD 5.2M
$27.0K฿891.5K
23.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mandeville
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$94.0JMD 14.8K
$105฿3,462
-10.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.95JMD 3,448
$11.39฿376
92.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.7JMD 7,964
$17.54฿580
189.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mandeville
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$54.3฿1,795
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.94JMD 1,719
$11.44฿378
-4.37%
Cinema Ticket
$13.03JMD 2,047
$7.78฿257
67.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mandeville
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$369JMD 58.0K
$576฿19.0K
-35.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,155JMD 1.3M
$11.6K฿382.7K
-29.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mandeville
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.13JMD 3,791
$63.6฿2,103
-62.08%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.52JMD 4,952
$29.10฿961
8.32%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.4JMD 12.2K
$96.2฿3,179
-19.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103JMD 16.3K
$90.0฿2,974
14.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mandeville
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$466JMD 73.3K
$733฿24.2K
-36.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$501฿16.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,126฿70.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,252฿41.4K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,779JMD 279.4K
$3,534฿116.8K
-49.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,622฿86.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mandeville
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$497JMD 78.1K
$508฿16.8K
-2.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.45
5.57
69.66%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mandeville: September 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $466 in Mandeville and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 2% 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: $74.0 in Mandeville vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $275 per month, with Phuket 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
Mandeville vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Mandeville?
Mandeville is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Mandeville or Phuket?
On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Mandeville and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $466 in Mandeville versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $369 in Mandeville versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Mandeville or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Mandeville – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Mandeville or in Phuket?
At $810 in Mandeville versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mandeville but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mandeville the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Mandeville or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Mandeville is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Mandeville or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Mandeville 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Mandeville gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mandeville vs other spots: cost of living compared