Cost of Living Comparison Between Marabella and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Marabella and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $915 in Marabella versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,603 in Marabella versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,290 in Marabella versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Marabella costs roughly 28% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Marabella 32% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.41 TTD 69.7

$4.70 ฿153

121.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.2 TTD 584

$45.37 ฿1,482

92.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 TTD 50.2

$8.43 ฿275

-11.15%

Cappuccino

$3.72 TTD 24.93

$2.93 ฿95.6

26.96%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.05

$0.69 ฿22.40

52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 TTD 5.60

$0.37 ฿11.99

127.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 TTD 12.58

$2.41 ฿78.6

-21.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 TTD 20.65

$3.72 ฿122

-17.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.66 TTD 17.84

$2.23 ฿72.9

19.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 TTD 18.68

$1.83 ฿59.8

52.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 TTD 17.81

$2.17 ฿70.8

22.58%

Eggs

$5.13 TTD 34.34

$2.21 ฿72.3

132.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.04 TTD 53.9

$19.74 ฿645

-59.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.20 TTD 68.4

$3.63 ฿119

180.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 TTD 97.1

$13.53 ฿442

7.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.73 TTD 38.39

$3.28 ฿107

74.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.58

$1.61 ฿52.6

62.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 TTD 29.11

$2.41 ฿78.6

80.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 TTD 31.17

$2.08 ฿68.1

123.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 TTD 9.56

$1.53 ฿49.93

-6.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.17

$1.48 ฿48.36

12.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 TTD 13.12

$0.99 ฿32.29

97.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 TTD 9.85

$0.51 ฿16.67

188.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 TTD 40.74

$4.41 ฿144

37.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.68 TTD 125

$19.38 ฿633

-3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 TTD 14.29

$1.78 ฿58.1

19.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 TTD 18.13

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.75

$3.02 ฿98.6

-66.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 TTD 8.45

$0.99 ฿32.48

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.86 TTD 99.6

$14.10 ฿461

5.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 TTD 7.37

$1.36 ฿44.51

-19.12%

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

$34.0K TTD 228.1K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

20.71%

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

$37.9K TTD 253.9K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

15.20%

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

$78.6 TTD 527

$122 ฿3,975

-35.39%

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

$47.50 TTD 318

$13.57 ฿443

250.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.9 TTD 421

$18.31 ฿598

243.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$9.91 TTD 66.4

$8.69 ฿284

14.04%

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

$328 TTD 2,195

$693 ฿22.6K

-52.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,316 TTD 49.0K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-53.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 TTD 400

$59.5 ฿1,944

0.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.92 TTD 261

$34.77 ฿1,136

11.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 978

$115 ฿3,743

27.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 842

$83.3 ฿2,720

50.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

5.33

0.94%

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

Last update for Marabella: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $87.0 in Marabella vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $376 vs $293 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

Marabella vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marabella and Phuket differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($915 vs $1,265 including rent). Marabella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,373 in Marabella and $1,898 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 28% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $915 per month in Marabella versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $915 in Marabella versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marabella but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Marabella the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Marabella 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 Marabella gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.