😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,891 in Mellieha versus $1,250 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,787 in Mellieha versus $2,284 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Mellieha versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Mellieha is roughly 51% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mellieha is 42% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.16€17.66
$4.55฿153
343.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.0€60.4
$46.18฿1,553
49.33%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.49€10.06
$8.84฿297
29.98%
Cappuccino
$2.72€2.38
$3.06฿103
-11.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64€2.31
$0.73฿24.40
261.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05€1.80
$0.40฿13.39
412.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.46€3.91
$2.43฿81.8
83.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44€3.01
$3.78฿127
-8.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.36€1.19
$2.26฿76.0
-39.82%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41€1.24
$1.81฿60.9
-22.10%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.40€2.98
$2.25฿75.8
51.11%
Eggs
$3.66€3.20
$2.25฿75.5
62.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.74€8.53
$19.51฿656
-50.08%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.37€9.08
$3.65฿123
184.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.08€12.33
$13.05฿439
7.89%
Apples(1kg)
$3.48€3.05
$3.23฿109
7.74%
Banana(1kg)
$1.96€1.72
$1.62฿54.4
20.99%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.79€2.44
$2.38฿80.1
17.23%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.23€2.83
$2.03฿68.1
59.11%
Potato(1kg)
$1.78€1.55
$1.53฿51.6
16.34%
Onion(1kg)
$2.81€2.46
$1.50฿50.5
87.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.79€1.57
$0.98฿32.91
82.65%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18€1.03
$0.52฿17.39
126.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.29€5.51
$4.44฿149
41.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.96€5.22
$18.32฿616
-67.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.29€2.00
$1.86฿62.7
23.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85€1.62
$2.68฿90.1
-30.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.97€2.60
$1.41฿47.46
110.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.70฿393
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$8.31€7.27
$3.11฿105
167.20%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.94€1.69
$1.04฿35.06
86.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.51€30.23
$14.11฿474
144.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.51€1.32
$1.31฿44.10
15.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K€22.9K
$27.8K฿935.4K
-6.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.5K€35.4K
$33.2K฿1.1M
21.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$110€96.2
$122฿4,118
-10.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.42€25.77
$13.59฿457
116.48%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.92€28.83
$18.70฿629
76.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$63.0€55.2
$60.5฿2,034
4.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.06€20.19
$16.98฿571
35.81%
Cinema Ticket
$8.49€7.44
$9.07฿305
-6.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$260€228
$706฿23.8K
-63.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,314€8,157
$15.8K฿531.5K
-41.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.5€66.2
$58.6฿1,969
29.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.62€33.82
$35.36฿1,189
9.22%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.4€82.7
$115฿3,883
-18.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102€89.5
$83.7฿2,816
22.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,023€896
$626฿21.0K
63.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$918€804
$445฿15.0K
106.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,754€1,536
$2,040฿68.6K
-14.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,393€1,220
$1,492฿50.2K
-6.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,005€3,508
$3,483฿117.1K
15.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,750€2,408
$2,577฿86.7K
6.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mellieha
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,362€1,193
$500฿16.8K
172.44%
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: July 11, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,023 in Mellieha and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mellieha pays 172% 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: $69.0 in Mellieha vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $289 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 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Mellieha or Phuket?
Average pay runs 172% higher in Mellieha, 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: $1,023 in Mellieha versus $626 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 $706 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 in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $69.0 in Mellieha. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Mellieha or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,891 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 51% less than in Mellieha. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.