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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,047 per month in Minas vs $1,270 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,633 per month in Minas vs $2,304 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,219 per month in Minas vs $3,339 in Phuket, rent included.

Minas is about 18% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Minas and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Minas 22% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 UYU 633

$4.66 ฿150

241.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 UYU 2,198

$46.44 ฿1,496

18.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 UYU 483

$8.68 ฿280

39.86%

Cappuccino

$4.14 UYU 165

$2.95 ฿95.0

40.34%

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

$2.23 UYU 88.7

$0.70 ฿22.52

218.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 UYU 70.6

$0.39 ฿12.70

356.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 UYU 178

$2.53 ฿81.6

77.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 UYU 150

$3.78 ฿122

-0.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 UYU 50.3

$2.22 ฿71.5

-43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 UYU 115

$1.80 ฿57.8

60.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 UYU 65.3

$2.19 ฿70.4

-25.11%

Eggs

$4.81 UYU 191

$2.31 ฿74.5

108.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.41 UYU 534

$19.34 ฿623

-30.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.92 UYU 435

$3.77 ฿121

189.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 UYU 443

$13.22 ฿426

-15.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 UYU 121

$3.33 ฿107

-8.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 UYU 94.8

$1.65 ฿53.1

44.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 UYU 60.0

$2.29 ฿73.7

-34.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 UYU 148

$1.99 ฿64.1

86.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 UYU 83.8

$1.53 ฿49.24

37.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 UYU 75.3

$1.51 ฿48.77

25.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 UYU 51.9

$1.03 ฿33.12

27.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 UYU 69.4

$0.51 ฿16.57

241.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 UYU 210

$4.41 ฿142

19.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 UYU 405

$19.41 ฿625

-47.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 UYU 90.5

$1.80 ฿58.0

26.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 UYU 116

$2.68 ฿86.4

8.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 UYU 61.3

$3.04 ฿97.9

-49.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.48 UYU 138

$1.04 ฿33.37

234.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.08 UYU 481

$13.68 ฿441

-11.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 UYU 74.8

$1.30 ฿41.85

44.62%

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

$34.9K UYU 1.4M

$27.9K ฿898.9K

25.08%

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

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

$33.0K ฿1.1M

8.92%

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

$170 UYU 6,778

$123 ฿3,962

38.54%

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

$16.70 UYU 664

$13.82 ฿445

20.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.91 UYU 1,986

$18.86 ฿608

164.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 UYU 417

$8.87 ฿286

18.04%

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

$490 UYU 19.5K

$696 ฿22.4K

-29.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,916 UYU 354.8K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

-44.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.4 UYU 3,716

$59.3 ฿1,910

57.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.65 UYU 1,856

$34.85 ฿1,123

33.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 UYU 4,608

$113 ฿3,646

2.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 UYU 4,961

$85.1 ฿2,740

46.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Minas versus $615 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Minas versus $46 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $291 – 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: $1,047 in Minas, $1,270 in Phuket – roughly 21% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,571 per month in Minas and $1,904 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,047 in Minas and $1,270 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Minas and $696 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 $1,047, than in Phuket at $1,270. 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 $1,047 in Minas to $1,270 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.