😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,772 in Mullingar versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,846 in Mullingar versus $2,054 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,919 in Mullingar versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Mullingar is roughly 125% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mullingar is 103% above, Phuket is 10% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mullingar
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.24€19.39
$4.41฿147
404.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$92.1€80.3
$32.26฿1,077
185.59%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.42€11.70
$8.93฿298
50.28%
Cappuccino
$4.56€3.98
$2.90฿96.6
57.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01€2.62
$0.88฿29.38
242.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29€2.00
$0.48฿16.06
377.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.12€6.21
$2.35฿78.5
202.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.46€6.50
$3.72฿124
100.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mullingar
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.55€1.35
$1.87฿62.3
-17.11%
White Bread(500g)
$1.29€1.12
$1.47฿48.94
-12.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.91€1.67
$1.55฿51.8
23.23%
Eggs
$4.09€3.57
$2.10฿70.1
94.76%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.62€12.74
$19.59฿654
-25.37%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.33€10.75
$3.42฿114
260.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.43€15.20
$11.38฿380
53.16%
Apples(1kg)
$3.33€2.90
$2.98฿99.6
11.74%
Banana(1kg)
$3.09€2.69
$1.68฿56.2
83.93%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.52€3.07
$2.21฿73.7
59.28%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.00€4.36
$2.16฿72.1
131.48%
Potato(1kg)
$2.34€2.04
$1.52฿50.9
53.95%
Onion(1kg)
$1.30€1.13
$1.34฿44.67
-2.99%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.45€1.26
$1.13฿37.67
28.32%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19€1.03
$0.55฿18.24
116.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$19.87€17.32
$4.26฿142
366.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.68€11.05
$19.09฿637
-33.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.86€2.49
$1.78฿59.4
60.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.65€3.18
$2.78฿92.9
31.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Mullingar
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.23฿74.4
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.74฿759
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.84€4.22
$3.03฿101
59.74%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.58€1.38
$1.02฿34.15
54.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.50€29.21
$3.89฿130
761.18%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.08€1.81
$1.49฿49.77
39.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.4K€35.2K
$26.6K฿887.3K
52.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K€34.3K
$27.0K฿902.2K
45.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mullingar
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$175€153
$102฿3,420
71.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.48€19.59
$11.33฿378
98.41%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.8€50.4
$17.40฿581
232.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mullingar
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$62.5€54.4
$52.1฿1,738
19.91%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.33€9.88
$11.07฿370
2.35%
Cinema Ticket
$13.05€11.37
$7.69฿257
69.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mullingar
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,111€969
$561฿18.7K
98.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,654€4,928
$11.5K฿384.1K
-50.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mullingar
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.9€86.2
$63.0฿2,104
56.91%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.66€38.06
$29.52฿986
47.90%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$108€94.5
$98.0฿3,272
10.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126€110
$88.5฿2,954
42.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mullingar
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,784€1,555
$738฿24.6K
141.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,544€1,346
$482฿16.1K
220.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,190€1,909
$2,107฿70.3K
3.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,039€1,777
$1,226฿40.9K
66.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,032€3,514
$3,617฿120.7K
11.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,858€3,363
$2,603฿86.9K
48.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mullingar
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,643€2,304
$494฿16.5K
435.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.14
5.57
-25.67%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mullingar: September 15, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,784 in Mullingar and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mullingar pays 436% 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: $92.0 in Mullingar vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $274 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
Mullingar vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mullingar or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 125% lower than in Mullingar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Mullingar or in Phuket?
Average pay runs 436% higher in Mullingar, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Mullingar compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,784 in Mullingar versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Mullingar or in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Mullingar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Mullingar compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,772 per month in Mullingar versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 125% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Mullingar or in Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,772 in Mullingar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mullingar. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mullingar or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Mullingar compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Mullingar 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Mullingar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.