Cost of Living Comparison Between Mossel Bay and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mossel Bay and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $978 per month in Mossel Bay vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,578 per month in Mossel Bay vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Mossel Bay vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Mossel Bay is about 22% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mossel Bay and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Mossel Bay 27% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.70 R 222

$4.56 ฿149

200.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.89 R 726

$46.63 ฿1,519

-3.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 R 130

$8.47 ฿276

-5.31%

Cappuccino

$2.41 R 38.99

$3.03 ฿98.6

-20.46%

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

$1.29 R 20.91

$0.69 ฿22.45

86.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.26

$0.37 ฿11.92

137.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 R 36.83

$2.49 ฿81.0

-8.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 R 45.92

$3.66 ฿119

-22.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 R 16.60

$2.18 ฿71.0

-52.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 R 16.98

$1.90 ฿62.0

-44.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 R 34.53

$2.20 ฿71.6

-2.73%

Eggs

$2.92 R 47.13

$2.22 ฿72.4

31.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 R 139

$19.99 ฿651

-57.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 R 77.1

$3.66 ฿119

30.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.27 R 118

$13.25 ฿432

-45.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.57

$3.23 ฿105

-49.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 R 16.63

$1.70 ฿55.3

-39.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.21

$2.39 ฿78.0

-37.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 R 30.49

$2.08 ฿67.7

-9.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 R 30.50

$1.59 ฿51.8

18.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 R 25.90

$1.48 ฿48.31

8.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R 16.78

$1.03 ฿33.54

0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 18.81

$0.52 ฿16.83

123.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 R 52.7

$4.25 ฿138

-23.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 R 78.2

$18.79 ฿612

-74.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 R 24.63

$1.76 ฿57.2

-13.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 R 41.55

$2.76 ฿89.8

-6.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 R 27.29

$1.36 ฿44.32

24.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.31

$3.14 ฿102

-64.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 R 17.76

$1.04 ฿33.74

5.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.15 R 67.0

$13.77 ฿448

-69.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.62

$1.34 ฿43.79

-4.48%

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

$19.9K R 322.1K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-28.02%

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

$19.7K R 318.4K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-41.85%

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

$88.8 R 1,435

$124 ฿4,025

-28.19%

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

$16.67 R 270

$13.52 ฿440

23.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.57 R 640

$18.69 ฿609

111.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.18 R 326

$61.8 ฿2,013

-67.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.67 R 221

$17.25 ฿562

-20.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 R 109

$9.14 ฿298

-26.59%

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

$116 R 1,878

$703 ฿22.9K

-83.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,573 R 25.4K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-90.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.09 R 680

$59.5 ฿1,937

-29.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.03 R 356

$35.07 ฿1,142

-37.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 R 1,243

$115 ฿3,754

-33.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.4 R 992

$84.1 ฿2,737

-26.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$465 R 7,524

$619 ฿20.1K

-24.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 R 5,406

$433 ฿14.1K

-22.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$943 R 15.2K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-54.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 R 10.2K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-58.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$595 R 9,626

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-83.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$608 R 9,836

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-76.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,511 R 24.4K

$507 ฿16.5K

198.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

5.33

127.39%

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

Last update for Mossel Bay: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $465 in Mossel Bay versus $619 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 198% higher in Mossel Bay, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Mossel Bay versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $293 – making Mossel Bay 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

Mossel Bay vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $978 in Mossel Bay, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 29% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,468 per month in Mossel Bay and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mossel Bay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Mossel Bay and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mossel Bay, where all-in costs run around $978, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Mossel Bay 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 $978 in Mossel Bay 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 Mossel Bay. 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.