Cost of Living Comparison Between Minas and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Minas and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,069 per month in Minas vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,689 per month in Minas vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,309 per month in Minas vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Minas is about 16% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Minas and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Minas 22% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.23 UYU 613

$4.66 ฿153

226.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 UYU 2,547

$32.22 ฿1,059

96.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.97 UYU 562

$8.68 ฿285

60.94%

Cappuccino

$4.37 UYU 176

$2.90 ฿95.3

50.69%

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

$2.81 UYU 113

$0.84 ฿27.75

234.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 UYU 79.3

$0.49 ฿16.08

302.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 UYU 193

$2.48 ฿81.6

93.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 UYU 154

$3.73 ฿123

2.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 UYU 53.0

$1.89 ฿62.0

-30.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 UYU 113

$1.41 ฿46.31

98.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 UYU 73.2

$1.62 ฿53.3

12.35%

Eggs

$4.92 UYU 198

$2.24 ฿73.7

119.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.02 UYU 564

$19.84 ฿652

-29.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.39 UYU 458

$3.48 ฿114

227.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 UYU 483

$11.37 ฿374

5.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 UYU 115

$2.90 ฿95.3

-1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 UYU 116

$1.72 ฿56.7

68.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 UYU 68.6

$2.27 ฿74.7

-24.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 UYU 124

$2.13 ฿70.1

45.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 UYU 81.7

$1.47 ฿48.49

38.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 UYU 89.2

$1.42 ฿46.69

56.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 UYU 57.5

$1.10 ฿36.08

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 UYU 79.8

$0.60 ฿19.66

230.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 UYU 221

$4.31 ฿142

27.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.51 UYU 342

$18.60 ฿612

-54.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 UYU 94.8

$1.80 ฿59.2

31.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 UYU 113

$2.97 ฿97.5

-5.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 UYU 30.73

$2.25 ฿73.8

-66.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿772

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 UYU 74.0

$3.10 ฿102

-40.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 UYU 16.15

$1.08 ฿35.39

-62.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.55 UYU 424

$3.87 ฿127

172.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 UYU 86.5

$1.43 ฿46.93

50.35%

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

$27.2K UYU 1.1M

$27.8K ฿913.6K

-2.00%

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

$37.7K UYU 1.5M

$27.0K ฿887.2K

39.67%

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

$191 UYU 7,685

$105 ฿3,446

82.29%

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

$17.49 UYU 704

$11.39 ฿375

53.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.78 UYU 1,761

$17.54 ฿577

149.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,787

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿376

Cinema Ticket

$12.07 UYU 486

$7.78 ฿256

55.14%

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

$603 UYU 24.2K

$576 ฿19.0K

4.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K UYU 422.9K

$11.6K ฿380.8K

-9.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.3 UYU 3,874

$63.6 ฿2,092

51.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 UYU 2,234

$29.10 ฿957

90.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 UYU 4,852

$96.2 ฿3,164

25.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 UYU 5,380

$90.0 ฿2,960

48.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿69.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.49

5.57

-1.44%

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

Last update for Minas: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Minas versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $275 – 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

Minas vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,069 in Minas, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 18% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,603 per month in Minas and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,069 in Minas and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $603 per month in Minas and $576 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Minas, where all-in costs run around $1,069, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Minas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket 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 $1,069 in Minas to $1,265 in Phuket. 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 Minas. 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.