😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,383 in Mytilene versus $1,250 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,041 in Mytilene versus $2,284 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,700 in Mytilene versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Mytilene is roughly 11% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mytilene is 4% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mytilene
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.51€10.95
$4.55฿153
174.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.18€41.28
$46.18฿1,554
2.17%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.69€4.11
$8.84฿298
-46.95%
Cappuccino
$3.91€3.42
$3.06฿103
27.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75€2.41
$0.73฿24.42
276.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64€0.56
$0.40฿13.40
60.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.51€3.07
$2.43฿81.8
44.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.76€5.04
$3.78฿127
52.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mytilene
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.52€1.33
$2.26฿76.0
-32.74%
White Bread(500g)
$1.60€1.40
$1.81฿60.9
-11.60%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.96€2.59
$2.25฿75.8
31.56%
Eggs
$3.03€2.66
$2.25฿75.6
34.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.69€11.97
$19.51฿656
-29.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.07€8.81
$3.65฿123
175.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.34€11.68
$13.05฿439
2.22%
Apples(1kg)
$1.59€1.39
$3.23฿109
-50.77%
Banana(1kg)
$2.10€1.83
$1.62฿54.4
29.63%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92€1.68
$2.38฿80.2
-19.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.02€1.77
$2.03฿68.2
-0.49%
Potato(1kg)
$1.42€1.24
$1.53฿51.6
-7.19%
Onion(1kg)
$1.53€1.34
$1.50฿50.5
2.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01€0.89
$0.98฿32.93
3.06%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66€0.57
$0.52฿17.40
26.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.27€4.61
$4.44฿149
18.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.35€10.81
$18.32฿616
-32.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13€0.99
$1.86฿62.7
-39.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52€3.08
$2.68฿90.2
31.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Mytilene
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.81€1.58
$1.41฿47.49
28.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.05€25.42
$11.70฿394
148.29%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.58€2.26
$3.11฿105
-17.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.04฿35.08
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.61€11.91
$14.11฿475
-3.54%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.26€1.97
$1.31฿44.13
72.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.8K€27.0K
$27.8K฿936.0K
10.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K€22.9K
$33.2K฿1.1M
-21.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mytilene
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$254€222
$122฿4,120
107.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.43€22.25
$13.59฿457
87.12%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.2€51.0
$18.70฿629
211.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mytilene
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$18.09€15.83
$60.5฿2,035
-70.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.85€22.62
$16.98฿572
52.24%
Cinema Ticket
$9.65€8.44
$9.07฿305
6.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mytilene
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$326€285
$706฿23.8K
-53.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,976€5,228
$15.8K฿531.8K
-62.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mytilene
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.0€70.8
$58.6฿1,970
38.29%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.06€34.17
$35.36฿1,190
10.46%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.1€77.1
$115฿3,885
-23.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106€92.8
$83.7฿2,818
26.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mytilene
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$345€302
$626฿21.1K
-44.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$332€290
$445฿15.0K
-25.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$646€565
$2,040฿68.7K
-68.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501€438
$1,492฿50.2K
-66.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,152€2,758
$3,483฿117.2K
-9.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,018€1,766
$2,577฿86.7K
-21.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mytilene
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,079€944
$500฿16.8K
115.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.15
5.33
-3.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mytilene: July 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Mytilene and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mytilene pays 116% 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: $47.00 in Mytilene vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $282 vs $289, with Mytilene 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
Mytilene vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mytilene or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Mytilene. 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 Mytilene or in Phuket?
Average pay runs 116% higher in Mytilene, 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 Mytilene compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $345 in Mytilene versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Mytilene compared to Phuket?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 148% less than in Mytilene. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Mytilene and in Phuket?
Childcare runs $326 in Mytilene versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Mytilene or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,383 in Mytilene, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mytilene. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mytilene or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,250 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Mytilene compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Mytilene 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 11% less than in Mytilene. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.