😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,835 in Montecatini Terme versus $1,253 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,851 in Montecatini Terme versus $2,043 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,868 in Montecatini Terme versus $2,833 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Montecatini Terme is roughly 46% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Montecatini Terme is 34% above, Phuket is 9% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.97€19.75
$4.56฿150
403.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.3€81.1
$32.62฿1,073
189.03%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.07€12.09
$8.90฿293
58.09%
Cappuccino
$1.98€1.71
$2.80฿92.2
-29.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09€2.66
$0.88฿28.94
251.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69€1.45
$0.49฿16.08
244.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.14€6.14
$2.39฿78.5
198.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.87€5.05
$3.71฿122
58.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.56€1.34
$1.79฿58.8
-12.85%
White Bread(500g)
$2.62€2.25
$1.44฿47.40
81.94%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70€1.46
$1.58฿52.1
7.59%
Eggs
$5.26€4.52
$2.13฿69.9
146.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.69€17.79
$19.92฿655
3.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.59€12.55
$3.43฿113
325.36%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$22.44€19.29
$11.33฿372
98.06%
Apples(1kg)
$2.68€2.30
$2.95฿97.0
-9.15%
Banana(1kg)
$2.62€2.25
$1.72฿56.6
52.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.33€2.87
$2.32฿76.5
43.53%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.15€2.71
$2.08฿68.4
51.44%
Potato(1kg)
$2.54€2.19
$1.47฿48.34
72.79%
Onion(1kg)
$1.78€1.53
$1.36฿44.65
30.88%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.48€1.27
$1.10฿36.13
34.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70€0.60
$0.57฿18.89
22.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.83€5.87
$4.27฿140
59.95%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.09€7.82
$18.42฿606
-50.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61€1.38
$1.87฿61.5
-13.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65€2.28
$2.92฿96.1
-9.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.91€1.64
$2.22฿73.0
-13.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$47.12€40.51
$22.90฿753
105.76%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.79€5.83
$3.03฿99.6
124.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.51€1.29
$1.07฿35.32
41.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.49€28.80
$3.93฿129
752.16%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.14€1.84
$1.49฿49.06
43.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.7K€32.4K
$27.1K฿892.0K
39.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.8K€31.6K
$27.5K฿902.6K
34.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$198€171
$103฿3,380
92.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93€11.98
$10.99฿361
26.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.80€27.33
$17.51฿576
81.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.1€43.96
$53.5฿1,760
-4.48%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.35€22.65
$11.20฿368
135.27%
Cinema Ticket
$11.56€9.94
$7.48฿246
54.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$585€503
$557฿18.3K
5.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K€13.4K
$11.9K฿389.7K
31.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5€76.9
$64.1฿2,107
39.64%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.27€38.06
$29.07฿956
52.29%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102€87.5
$96.0฿3,155
6.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112€96.1
$90.3฿2,970
23.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$731€628
$730฿24.0K
0.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$556€478
$500฿16.4K
11.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,061€912
$2,090฿68.7K
-49.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$968€832
$1,209฿39.8K
-19.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,480€2,992
$3,596฿118.2K
-3.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,873€1,610
$2,512฿82.6K
-25.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$503฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.29
5.57
-40.93%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Montecatini Terme: August 30, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $731 in Montecatini Terme and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $94.0 in Montecatini Terme vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $273 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
Montecatini Terme vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Montecatini Terme?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,752 in Montecatini Terme and $1,880 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Montecatini Terme and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $731 in Montecatini Terme versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Montecatini Terme and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Montecatini Terme. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Montecatini Terme or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $94.0 in Montecatini Terme. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Montecatini Terme or in Phuket?
At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,835 in Montecatini Terme, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Montecatini Terme. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Montecatini Terme or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Montecatini Terme, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Montecatini Terme or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Montecatini Terme 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 46% less than in Montecatini Terme. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Montecatini Terme vs other spots: cost of living compared