Cost of Living Comparison Between Marsa and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Marsa and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,976 per month in Marsa vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,186 per month in Marsa vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,395 per month in Marsa vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Marsa costs about 135% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Marsa sits 122% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.86 €17.96

$4.70 ฿154

343.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.2 €82.9

$45.37 ฿1,483

112.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.11

$8.43 ฿276

39.26%

Cappuccino

$3.03 €2.61

$2.93 ฿95.7

3.41%

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

$2.25 €1.94

$0.69 ฿22.42

226.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 €1.96

$0.37 ฿12.00

516.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.66 €4.02

$2.41 ฿78.7

93.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 €2.33

$3.72 ฿122

-27.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.17

$2.23 ฿73.0

-39.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.83 ฿59.9

-29.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 €3.63

$2.17 ฿70.9

94.01%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.89

$2.21 ฿72.4

104.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 €8.79

$19.74 ฿645

-48.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 €7.82

$3.63 ฿119

150.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 €11.78

$13.53 ฿442

1.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 €3.79

$3.28 ฿107

34.15%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.61 ฿52.7

87.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 €2.91

$2.41 ฿78.7

40.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 €3.26

$2.08 ฿68.1

82.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 €2.20

$1.53 ฿49.97

67.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.48 ฿48.41

-12.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 €2.10

$0.99 ฿32.32

146.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 €1.07

$0.51 ฿16.68

143.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 €5.54

$4.41 ฿144

46.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.64 €7.44

$19.38 ฿634

-55.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.78 ฿58.1

5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 €1.91

$2.71 ฿88.7

-18.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 €2.43

$1.37 ฿44.83

105.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 €4.87

$3.02 ฿98.7

87.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.60 €3.10

$0.99 ฿32.51

263.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.94 €43.01

$14.10 ฿461

254.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.36 ฿44.55

11.03%

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

$39.4K €34.0K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

39.82%

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

$38.4K €33.1K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

16.85%

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

$94.1 €81.1

$122 ฿3,978

-22.66%

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

$27.87 €24.00

$13.57 ฿444

105.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.80 €39.44

$18.31 ฿599

150.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.7 €55.7

$60.2 ฿1,969

7.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.54 €20.27

$17.14 ฿560

37.34%

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 €8.90

$8.69 ฿284

18.99%

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

$431 €371

$693 ฿22.7K

-37.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K €9,691

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-28.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.4 €79.6

$59.5 ฿1,946

55.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.74 €33.36

$34.77 ฿1,137

11.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.6

$115 ฿3,746

-10.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 €86.6

$83.3 ฿2,723

20.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 €1,443

$613 ฿20.0K

173.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,661

$437 ฿14.3K

341.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 €1,959

$2,094 ฿68.5K

8.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,893 €2,492

$1,509 ฿49.3K

91.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,306 €2,847

$508 ฿16.6K

550.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

5.33

-19.89%

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

Last update for Marsa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,676 in Marsa versus $613 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 551% higher in Marsa, 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 $96.0 in Marsa versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $293 – 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

Marsa vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Marsa is pricier by about 135%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,464 per month in Marsa and $1,898 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 $2,976 in Marsa and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $431 per month in Marsa and $693 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 $1,265, than in Marsa at $2,976. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marsa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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