Cost of Living Comparison Between Marbella and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Marbella and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,590 per month in Marbella vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,337 per month in Marbella vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,083 per month in Marbella vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Marbella costs about 26% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Marbella sits 18% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.71 €11.81

$4.56 ฿149

200.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.9 €49.04

$46.63 ฿1,519

22.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 €9.06

$8.47 ฿276

24.20%

Cappuccino

$2.15 €1.85

$3.03 ฿98.6

-29.04%

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

$2.09 €1.80

$0.69 ฿22.45

202.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 €1.48

$0.37 ฿11.92

362.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.49 ฿81.0

-4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 €3.04

$3.66 ฿119

-3.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$2.18 ฿71.0

-47.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.90 ฿62.0

-21.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 €1.02

$2.20 ฿71.6

-45.91%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.96

$2.22 ฿72.4

54.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.40 €11.55

$19.99 ฿651

-32.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.30 €8.01

$3.66 ฿119

154.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.47 €15.06

$13.25 ฿432

31.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.06

$3.23 ฿105

-26.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.70 ฿55.3

4.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 €0.96

$2.39 ฿78.0

-53.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.08 ฿67.7

-6.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 €1.54

$1.59 ฿51.8

11.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.48 ฿48.31

-17.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.03 ฿33.54

10.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.52

$0.52 ฿16.83

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 €5.56

$4.25 ฿138

51.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.58 €9.97

$18.79 ฿612

-38.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.76 ฿57.2

-22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.76 ฿89.8

-18.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.36 ฿44.32

54.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.77 €29.96

$11.36 ฿370

206.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.30 €1.98

$3.14 ฿102

-26.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.04 ฿33.74

144.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.87 €11.95

$13.77 ฿448

0.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.34 ฿43.79

34.33%

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

$38.5K €33.2K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

39.14%

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

$30.4K €26.2K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-10.22%

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

$108 €92.7

$124 ฿4,025

-12.95%

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

$24.25 €20.89

$13.52 ฿440

79.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.88 €28.33

$18.69 ฿609

75.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 €44.11

$61.8 ฿2,013

-17.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 €12.72

$17.25 ฿562

-14.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 €7.88

$9.14 ฿298

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

$382 €329

$703 ฿22.9K

-45.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,752 €5,817

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-57.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.8 €73.9

$59.5 ฿1,937

44.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.93 €36.13

$35.07 ฿1,142

19.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 €65.8

$115 ฿3,754

-33.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €92.9

$84.1 ฿2,737

28.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$851 €733

$619 ฿20.1K

37.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 €594

$433 ฿14.1K

59.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 €1,123

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-36.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$992 €854

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-34.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,029 €6,056

$3,646 ฿118.7K

92.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,054 €4,355

$2,626 ฿85.5K

92.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,462 €2,122

$507 ฿16.5K

385.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.51

5.33

-34.15%

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

Last update for Marbella: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $851 in Marbella versus $619 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 386% higher in Marbella, 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 $57.0 in Marbella versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Marbella vs $293 in Phuket – so Marbella wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Marbella vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,590 in Marbella, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 26% apart. Marbella costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,385 per month in Marbella and $1,892 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 $57.0 in Marbella and $47.00 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 $1,590 in Marbella and $1,261 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 $1,261, than in Marbella at $1,590. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marbella it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,261 in Phuket to $1,590 in Marbella. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Marbella makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.