Cost of Living Comparison Between Msida and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Msida and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,815 per month in Msida vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,745 per month in Msida vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,676 per month in Msida vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Msida costs about 47% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Msida sits 33% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 €10.08

$4.41 ฿147

162.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 €45.53

$32.26 ฿1,073

62.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.38 €9.92

$8.93 ฿297

27.44%

Cappuccino

$2.35 €2.04

$2.90 ฿96.3

-18.97%

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

$2.38 €2.07

$0.88 ฿29.27

170.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 €1.00

$0.48 ฿16.00

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 €4.04

$2.35 ฿78.2

97.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 €3.04

$3.72 ฿124

-6.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.01

$1.87 ฿62.0

-37.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.47 ฿48.75

-8.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.51 €3.93

$1.55 ฿51.6

190.97%

Eggs

$2.83 €2.47

$2.10 ฿69.9

34.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 €7.63

$19.59 ฿651

-55.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.79 €9.40

$3.42 ฿114

215.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.22 €16.75

$11.38 ฿378

68.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 €3.70

$2.98 ฿99.2

42.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 €2.53

$1.68 ฿56.0

72.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 €3.30

$2.21 ฿73.5

71.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 €3.01

$2.16 ฿71.9

59.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 €2.28

$1.52 ฿50.7

71.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.34 ฿44.49

50.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 €2.03

$1.13 ฿37.53

107.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.21

$0.55 ฿18.17

152.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 €6.13

$4.26 ฿142

65.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.38 €7.30

$19.09 ฿635

-56.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.55

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 €2.11

$2.78 ฿92.5

-12.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.23 ฿74.1

5.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.73 €4.99

$3.03 ฿101

89.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 €2.00

$1.02 ฿34.02

124.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.37 €23.85

$3.89 ฿129

603.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.49 ฿49.57

1.34%

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

$38.3K €33.4K

$26.6K ฿883.8K

44.23%

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

$39.5K €34.4K

$27.0K ฿898.7K

46.16%

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

$84.6 €73.7

$102 ฿3,407

-17.43%

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

$26.48 €23.07

$11.33 ฿377

133.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.09 €25.35

$17.40 ฿578

67.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 €50.6

$52.1 ฿1,732

11.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$10.43 €9.09

$7.69 ฿256

35.63%

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

$379 €330

$561 ฿18.6K

-32.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.2K

$11.5K ฿382.6K

1.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 €77.3

$63.0 ฿2,096

40.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.07 €35.78

$29.52 ฿982

39.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €91.5

$98.0 ฿3,259

7.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 €71.7

$88.5 ฿2,943

-7.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 €941

$738 ฿24.5K

46.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 €821

$482 ฿16.0K

95.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,831 €1,595

$2,107 ฿70.0K

-13.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 €1,322

$1,226 ฿40.8K

23.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,867 €2,498

$494 ฿16.4K

480.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

5.57

-47.94%

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

Last update for Msida: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,081 in Msida versus $738 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 481% higher in Msida, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Msida versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $274 – 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

Msida vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Msida is pricier by about 47%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,722 per month in Msida and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,815 in Msida and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $379 per month in Msida and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Msida at $1,815. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Msida it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Msida makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.