Cost of Living Comparison Between Masaya and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Masaya and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $790 per month in Masaya vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,260 per month in Masaya vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,729 per month in Masaya vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Masaya is about 38% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Masaya and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Masaya 43% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.08 NIO 369

$4.66 ฿154

116.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.77 NIO 1,347

$32.22 ฿1,065

14.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 NIO 280

$8.68 ฿287

-11.75%

Cappuccino

$2.51 NIO 92.1

$2.90 ฿95.8

-13.45%

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

$0.83 NIO 30.34

$0.84 ฿27.89

-1.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NIO 26.40

$0.49 ฿16.16

46.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 NIO 52.9

$2.48 ฿82.0

-41.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 NIO 71.9

$3.73 ฿123

-47.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 NIO 45.27

$1.89 ฿62.3

-34.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 NIO 83.9

$1.41 ฿46.54

62.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 NIO 62.5

$1.62 ฿53.6

5.56%

Eggs

$2.36 NIO 86.5

$2.24 ฿74.1

5.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 NIO 421

$19.84 ฿656

-42.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 NIO 239

$3.48 ฿115

87.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 NIO 268

$11.37 ฿376

-35.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 NIO 133

$2.90 ฿95.8

25.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 NIO 21.04

$1.72 ฿57.0

-66.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 NIO 64.0

$2.27 ฿75.1

-22.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.9

$2.13 ฿70.4

2.35%

Potato (1kg)

$4.03 NIO 147

$1.47 ฿48.72

174.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 NIO 82.8

$1.42 ฿46.92

59.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 36.97

$1.10 ฿36.25

-8.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NIO 39.11

$0.60 ฿19.76

78.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 NIO 98.1

$4.31 ฿142

-37.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 NIO 534

$18.60 ฿615

-21.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.5

$1.80 ฿59.5

-18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 NIO 85.9

$2.97 ฿98.0

-20.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 NIO 60.4

$3.10 ฿102

-46.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 NIO 61.2

$1.08 ฿35.56

54.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 NIO 251

$3.87 ฿128

77.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 NIO 48.65

$1.43 ฿47.16

-6.99%

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

$23.2K NIO 849.3K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-16.54%

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

$26.1K NIO 955.3K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-3.34%

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

$117 NIO 4,283

$105 ฿3,462

11.59%

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

$16.75 NIO 613

$11.39 ฿376

47.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.65 NIO 1,342

$17.54 ฿580

108.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$8.33 NIO 305

$7.78 ฿257

7.07%

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

$237 NIO 8,673

$576 ฿19.0K

-58.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,955 NIO 218.1K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-48.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 NIO 2,607

$63.6 ฿2,103

11.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.1 NIO 2,642

$29.10 ฿961

147.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 NIO 4,935

$96.2 ฿3,179

40.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,904

$90.0 ฿2,974

18.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

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)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

5.57

84.02%

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

Last update for Masaya: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Masaya versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Masaya vs $275 in Phuket – so Masaya 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

Masaya vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,185 per month in Masaya and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Masaya and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Masaya, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Masaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Masaya – 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 Masaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.