Cost of Living Comparison Between Mons and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mons and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,926 in Mons versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,909 in Mons versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,892 in Mons versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Mons is roughly 56% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mons is 44% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Mons
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.30 ₮14.77
$4.63 āļŋ151
273.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.8 ₮73.3
$46.84 āļŋ1,523
83.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.26 ₮8.76
$8.84 āļŋ287
16.06%
Cappuccino
$3.75 ₮3.21
$3.00 āļŋ97.4
25.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 ₮2.33
$0.74 āļŋ24.11
268.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 ₮2.26
$0.37 āļŋ11.88
616.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.53 ₮3.87
$2.44 āļŋ79.3
85.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.50 ₮3.85
$3.61 āļŋ117
24.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mons
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 ₮1.06
$2.26 āļŋ73.5
-45.13%
White Bread (500g)
$2.28 ₮1.95
$1.84 āļŋ59.8
23.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.39 ₮2.04
$2.24 āļŋ73.0
6.70%
Eggs
$4.29 ₮3.67
$2.32 āļŋ75.3
84.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.10 ₮14.60
$19.67 āļŋ639
-13.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.88 ₮10.15
$3.65 āļŋ119
225.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.06 ₮16.28
$13.10 āļŋ426
45.50%
Apples (1kg)
$2.96 ₮2.53
$3.39 āļŋ110
-12.68%
Banana (1kg)
$2.34 ₮2.00
$1.64 āļŋ53.4
42.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.73 ₮2.33
$2.41 āļŋ78.5
13.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.04 ₮2.59
$2.03 āļŋ66.0
49.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.89 ₮1.62
$1.56 āļŋ50.6
21.15%
Onion (1kg)
$2.05 ₮1.75
$1.50 āļŋ48.66
36.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.38 ₮1.18
$1.02 āļŋ33.30
35.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 ₮0.80
$0.49 āļŋ15.91
91.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.99 ₮8.53
$4.45 āļŋ145
124.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.93 ₮5.06
$18.88 āļŋ614
-68.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 ₮1.64
$1.78 āļŋ57.7
7.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 ₮2.51
$2.75 āļŋ89.5
6.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Mons
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.93 ₮2.50
$1.40 āļŋ45.54
109.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.77 ₮36.53
$11.48 āļŋ373
272.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$10.84 ₮9.26
$3.12 āļŋ101
247.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.75 ₮2.35
$1.00 āļŋ32.48
175.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$53.1 ₮45.37
$14.09 āļŋ458
277.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.91 ₮1.63
$1.35 āļŋ43.93
41.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K ₮29.1K
$27.2K āļŋ883.7K
25.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K ₮33.0K
$32.9K āļŋ1.1M
17.43%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mons
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 ₮173
$125 āļŋ4,063
61.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.28 ₮19.88
$13.57 āļŋ441
71.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.24 ₮42.05
$18.52 āļŋ602
165.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mons
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.65 ₮23.62
$61.5 āļŋ1,999
-55.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.77 ₮14.32
$16.84 āļŋ547
-0.42%
Cinema Ticket
$12.78 ₮10.92
$9.19 āļŋ299
39.06%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Mons
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$588 ₮502
$698 āļŋ22.7K
-15.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.2K ₮16.4K
$15.6K āļŋ506.9K
23.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mons
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$110 ₮94.2
$57.8 āļŋ1,878
90.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.5 ₮46.57
$35.24 āļŋ1,146
54.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 ₮88.8
$113 āļŋ3,677
-8.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$150 ₮128
$86.4 āļŋ2,808
73.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mons
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$667 ₮570
$616 āļŋ20.0K
8.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$712 ₮608
$446 āļŋ14.5K
59.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,135 ₮969
$2,048 āļŋ66.6K
-44.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,079 ₮921
$1,492 āļŋ48.5K
-27.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,944 ₮2,514
$3,779 āļŋ122.8K
-22.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,316 ₮1,977
$2,649 āļŋ86.1K
-12.58%
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Mons
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,991 ₮2,554
$524 āļŋ17.0K
471.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.23
5.33
-39.40%

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

Last update for Mons: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $667 in Mons and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mons pays 471% 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: $86.0 in Mons vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $292 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
Mons vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Mons?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Mons or Phuket?
Mons pays 471% 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 Mons and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $667 in Mons versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Mons vs Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $1,926 per month in Mons versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 273% less than in Mons. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Mons or Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,926 in Mons, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mons. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Mons or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mons, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Mons or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Mons 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 56% less than in Mons. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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