😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,932 in Mellieha versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,808 in Mellieha versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,685 in Mellieha versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Mellieha is roughly 53% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mellieha is 44% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.33€17.51
$4.70฿154
332.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.7€60.0
$45.37฿1,483
53.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.59€9.98
$8.43฿276
37.49%
Cappuccino
$2.64€2.28
$2.93฿95.7
-9.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67€2.30
$0.69฿22.42
286.96%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06€1.78
$0.37฿12.00
456.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.27€3.67
$2.41฿78.7
77.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50€3.02
$3.72฿122
-5.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.33€1.14
$2.23฿73.0
-40.36%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36€1.17
$1.83฿59.9
-25.68%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.54€3.05
$2.17฿70.9
63.13%
Eggs
$3.80€3.27
$2.21฿72.4
71.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.02€8.63
$19.74฿645
-49.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.27€8.85
$3.63฿119
182.92%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.71€11.81
$13.53฿442
1.33%
Apples(1kg)
$3.46€2.98
$3.28฿107
5.49%
Banana(1kg)
$2.06€1.77
$1.61฿52.7
27.95%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.89€2.49
$2.41฿78.7
19.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.18€2.74
$2.08฿68.1
52.88%
Potato(1kg)
$1.81€1.56
$1.53฿49.97
18.30%
Onion(1kg)
$2.93€2.52
$1.48฿48.41
97.97%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.70€1.46
$0.99฿32.32
71.72%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14€0.98
$0.51฿16.68
123.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.34€5.46
$4.41฿144
43.76%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.18€5.32
$19.38฿634
-68.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34€2.02
$1.78฿58.1
31.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76€1.51
$2.71฿88.7
-35.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.94€2.53
$1.37฿44.83
114.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.39฿372
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$7.96€6.86
$3.02฿98.7
163.58%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.90€1.64
$0.99฿32.51
91.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.17€29.42
$14.10฿461
142.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.52€1.30
$1.36฿44.55
11.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.4K€22.7K
$28.2K฿921.9K
-6.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.1K€35.4K
$32.9K฿1.1M
24.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$110€94.8
$122฿3,978
-9.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.27€26.07
$13.57฿444
123.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.80€28.25
$18.31฿599
79.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$63.1€54.3
$60.2฿1,969
4.77%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.95€19.76
$17.14฿560
33.90%
Cinema Ticket
$8.70€7.49
$8.69฿284
0.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$260€224
$693฿22.7K
-62.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,117€7,851
$15.7K฿512.8K
-41.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.3€64.8
$59.5฿1,946
26.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.60€33.24
$34.77฿1,137
11.02%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$95.2€82.0
$115฿3,746
-16.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102€88.2
$83.3฿2,723
23.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,038€894
$613฿20.0K
69.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$940€809
$437฿14.3K
114.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,749€1,506
$2,094฿68.5K
-16.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,408€1,213
$1,509฿49.3K
-6.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,070€3,504
$3,749฿122.6K
8.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,935€2,527
$2,616฿85.5K
12.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,407€1,211
$508฿16.6K
176.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.43
5.33
1.88%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mellieha: May 31, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,038 in Mellieha and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mellieha pays 177% 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: $70.0 in Mellieha vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 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
Mellieha vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Mellieha?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Mellieha or Phuket?
Mellieha pays 177% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Mellieha and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,038 in Mellieha versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $260 in Mellieha versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Mellieha or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $70.0 in Mellieha. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Mellieha or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,932 in Mellieha, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mellieha. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Mellieha or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mellieha, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Mellieha or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Mellieha 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Mellieha. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.