😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,834 in Montecatini Terme versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,711 in Montecatini Terme versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,587 in Montecatini Terme versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Montecatini Terme is roughly 45% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Montecatini Terme is 37% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.86€17.96
$4.70฿153
343.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.44€33.10
$45.37฿1,482
-15.27%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.70€10.08
$8.43฿275
38.79%
Cappuccino
$1.66€1.43
$2.93฿95.6
-43.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28€1.96
$0.69฿22.40
230.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18€1.01
$0.37฿11.99
218.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.12€4.41
$2.41฿78.6
112.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.65€4.86
$3.72฿122
51.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.39€1.20
$2.23฿72.9
-37.67%
White Bread(500g)
$2.79€2.40
$1.83฿59.8
52.46%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.53€2.18
$2.17฿70.8
16.59%
Eggs
$4.73€4.07
$2.21฿72.3
114.03%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.58€9.11
$19.74฿645
-46.40%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.92€12.85
$3.63฿119
311.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$22.61€19.47
$13.53฿442
67.11%
Apples(1kg)
$2.78€2.39
$3.28฿107
-15.24%
Banana(1kg)
$2.68€2.30
$1.61฿52.6
66.46%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.59€3.09
$2.41฿78.6
48.96%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.95€3.40
$2.08฿68.1
89.90%
Potato(1kg)
$2.80€2.41
$1.53฿49.93
83.01%
Onion(1kg)
$1.82€1.57
$1.48฿48.36
22.97%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.51€1.30
$0.99฿32.29
52.53%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48€0.41
$0.51฿16.67
-5.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.55€5.64
$4.41฿144
48.53%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.11€7.84
$19.38฿633
-52.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.06€0.91
$1.78฿58.1
-40.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48€1.28
$2.71฿88.6
-45.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.76€1.52
$1.37฿44.79
28.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$42.63€36.70
$11.39฿372
274.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.65€5.73
$3.02฿98.6
120.20%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.11€0.96
$0.99฿32.48
12.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.00€29.27
$14.10฿461
141.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.99€1.71
$1.36฿44.51
46.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K€23.7K
$28.2K฿921.1K
-2.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.6K€31.5K
$32.9K฿1.1M
11.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$267€230
$122฿3,975
119.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.36€9.78
$13.57฿443
-16.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.92€26.62
$18.31฿598
68.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$59.7€51.4
$60.2฿1,967
-0.91%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.70€19.54
$17.14฿560
32.44%
Cinema Ticket
$10.12€8.71
$8.69฿284
16.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$709€611
$693฿22.6K
2.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.3K€9,688
$15.7K฿512.3K
-28.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101€86.7
$59.5฿1,944
69.14%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.28€30.37
$34.77฿1,136
1.47%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101€86.8
$115฿3,743
-12.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129€111
$83.3฿2,720
55.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$767€660
$613฿20.0K
25.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$585€504
$437฿14.3K
33.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,216€1,047
$2,094฿68.4K
-41.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$926€797
$1,509฿49.3K
-38.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,948€2,538
$3,749฿122.5K
-21.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,119€1,824
$2,616฿85.4K
-19.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montecatini Terme
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4
5.33
-24.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Montecatini Terme: May 31, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $767 in Montecatini Terme and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $38.00 in Montecatini Terme vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $359 vs $293, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.
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 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,751 in Montecatini Terme and $1,898 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: $767 in Montecatini Terme versus $613 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 Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 23% 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 Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $38.00 in Montecatini Terme. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Montecatini Terme or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,834 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 45% 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