Cost of Living Comparison Between Manta and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Manta and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $929 in Manta versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,558 in Manta versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,187 in Manta versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Manta costs roughly 26% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manta 31% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 $3.49

$4.56 ฿149

-23.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.11 $45.11

$46.63 ฿1,519

-3.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 $7.09

$8.47 ฿276

-16.29%

Cappuccino

$2.37 $2.37

$3.03 ฿98.6

-21.78%

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

$0.85 $0.85

$0.69 ฿22.45

23.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.37 ฿11.92

64.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.49 ฿81.0

-28.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.66 ฿119

-17.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.18 ฿71.0

-48.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.90 ฿62.0

-7.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.20 ฿71.6

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.49 $2.49

$2.22 ฿72.4

12.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$19.99 ฿651

-70.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.66 ฿119

39.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$13.25 ฿432

-52.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.23 ฿105

-37.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.70 ฿55.3

-38.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.39 ฿78.0

-56.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.08 ฿67.7

-48.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.59 ฿51.8

-38.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.48 ฿48.31

-6.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.03 ฿33.54

-32.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.52 ฿16.83

96.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 $6.04

$4.25 ฿138

42.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.19 $7.19

$18.79 ฿612

-61.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.76 ฿57.2

-16.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.76 ฿89.8

-26.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$1.36 ฿44.32

-75.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.95 $23.95

$11.36 ฿370

110.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 $1.79

$3.14 ฿102

-42.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.04 ฿33.74

88.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.92 $9.92

$13.77 ฿448

-27.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 $0.67

$1.34 ฿43.79

-50.00%

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

$20.0K $20.0K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-27.82%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-27.79%

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

$37.58 $37.58

$124 ฿4,025

-69.59%

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

$11.94 $11.94

$13.52 ฿440

-11.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.86 $31.86

$18.69 ฿609

70.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.77 $39.77

$61.8 ฿2,013

-35.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.71 $14.71

$17.25 ฿562

-14.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 $6.94

$9.14 ฿298

-24.07%

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

$240 $240

$703 ฿22.9K

-65.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,904 $5,904

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-62.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 $51.1

$59.5 ฿1,937

-13.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.70 $43.70

$35.07 ฿1,142

24.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$115 ฿3,754

-11.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.1 $90.1

$84.1 ฿2,737

7.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 $471

$619 ฿20.1K

-23.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 $335

$433 ฿14.1K

-22.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 $473

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-77.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 $768

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-49.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$476 $476

$507 ฿16.5K

-6.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.35

5.33

75.42%

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

Last update for Manta: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Manta and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 7% 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: $45.00 in Manta vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $293 per month, with Manta 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

Manta vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manta is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 7% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $471 in Manta versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $240 in Manta versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $929 in Manta versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Manta but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Manta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Manta 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.

Safety-wise, Manta 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 Manta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.