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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,011 per month in Minas vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,616 per month in Minas vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,221 per month in Minas vs $3,291 in Phuket, rent included.

Minas is about 20% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Minas and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Minas 24% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.45 UYU 660

$4.53 ฿153

263.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 UYU 2,228

$46.36 ฿1,562

19.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.30 UYU 494

$8.65 ฿291

42.20%

Cappuccino

$4.06 UYU 163

$3.09 ฿104

31.39%

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

$2.23 UYU 89.7

$0.68 ฿22.85

227.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 UYU 70.8

$0.37 ฿12.41

375.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.34 UYU 174

$2.42 ฿81.4

79.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 UYU 143

$3.81 ฿128

-6.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 UYU 48.43

$2.18 ฿73.4

-44.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 UYU 115

$1.82 ฿61.2

57.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 UYU 63.7

$2.18 ฿73.3

-27.06%

Eggs

$4.62 UYU 185

$2.24 ฿75.3

106.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 UYU 549

$19.93 ฿671

-31.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 UYU 434

$3.64 ฿123

197.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 UYU 446

$13.56 ฿457

-18.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 UYU 120

$3.29 ฿111

-9.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 UYU 94.9

$1.69 ฿56.8

39.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 UYU 62.6

$2.33 ฿78.6

-33.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 UYU 149

$2.03 ฿68.3

83.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.0

$1.60 ฿53.9

35.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 UYU 75.6

$1.49 ฿50.4

26.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 UYU 52.3

$1.01 ฿34.11

28.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 UYU 67.2

$0.48 ฿16.06

250.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 UYU 212

$4.45 ฿150

18.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 UYU 354

$18.63 ฿628

-52.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 UYU 90.6

$1.79 ฿60.2

26.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 UYU 122

$2.80 ฿94.2

8.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 UYU 64.3

$3.09 ฿104

-48.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.57 UYU 143

$1.04 ฿35.13

243.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.38 UYU 497

$13.63 ฿459

-9.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 UYU 76.7

$1.31 ฿44.15

45.80%

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

$34.6K UYU 1.4M

$27.3K ฿919.1K

26.66%

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

$35.7K UYU 1.4M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

7.45%

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

$171 UYU 6,852

$123 ฿4,149

38.59%

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

$16.96 UYU 681

$13.81 ฿465

22.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.21 UYU 1,976

$18.52 ฿624

165.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿566

Cinema Ticket

$10.65 UYU 427

$8.89 ฿299

19.80%

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

$484 UYU 19.4K

$687 ฿23.1K

-29.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,745 UYU 351.0K

$15.6K ฿523.9K

-43.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 UYU 3,767

$57.6 ฿1,942

62.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.36 UYU 1,901

$34.66 ฿1,168

36.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 UYU 4,536

$115 ฿3,872

-1.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 UYU 4,935

$84.9 ฿2,860

44.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿69.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

5.33

6.57%

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

Last update for Minas: July 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Minas versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $292 – 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: $1,011 in Minas, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 25% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,517 per month in Minas and $1,891 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,011 in Minas and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $484 per month in Minas and $687 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 $1,011, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $1,011 in Minas to $1,261 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.