Cost of Living Comparison Between Naga and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Naga and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $557 in Naga versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $854 in Naga versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,151 in Naga versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Naga costs roughly 56% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Naga 60% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₱334

$4.66 ฿154

14.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.41 ₱841

$32.22 ฿1,065

-58.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.81 ₱176

$8.68 ฿287

-67.63%

Cappuccino

$2.78 ₱175

$2.90 ฿95.8

-4.14%

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

$0.75 ₱46.90

$0.84 ฿27.89

-10.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₱15.79

$0.49 ฿16.16

-48.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ₱79.9

$2.48 ฿82.0

-48.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₱194

$3.73 ฿123

-16.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₱124

$1.89 ฿62.3

4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 ₱53.5

$1.41 ฿46.54

-39.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ₱53.2

$1.62 ฿53.6

-47.53%

Eggs

$1.69 ₱106

$2.24 ฿74.1

-24.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 ₱659

$19.84 ฿656

-47.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.08 ₱256

$3.48 ฿115

17.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 ₱447

$11.37 ฿376

-37.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ₱126

$2.90 ฿95.8

-30.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 ₱107

$1.72 ฿57.0

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱146

$2.27 ฿75.1

2.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 ₱152

$2.13 ฿70.4

14.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 ₱157

$1.47 ฿48.72

70.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 ₱146

$1.42 ฿46.92

64.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.82 ₱302

$1.10 ฿36.25

338.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱38.98

$0.60 ฿19.76

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ₱179

$4.31 ฿142

-33.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.90 ₱244

$18.60 ฿615

-79.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₱99.5

$1.80 ฿59.5

-11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 ₱34.43

$3.10 ฿102

-82.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱72.7

$1.43 ฿47.16

-18.88%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

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

$101 ₱6,316

$105 ฿3,462

-3.86%

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

$24.23 ₱1,519

$11.39 ฿376

112.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.46 ₱1,659

$17.54 ฿580

50.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.82 ₱490

$54.3 ฿1,795

-85.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 ₱292

$7.78 ฿257

-40.10%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,917 ₱496.3K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-31.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 ₱9,817

$733 ฿24.2K

-78.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.8 ₱5,442

$501 ฿16.5K

-82.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 ₱15.6K

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-88.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 ₱12.4K

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-84.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$144 ₱9,027

$508 ฿16.8K

-71.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Naga: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $157 in Naga and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 252% 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: $13.00 in Naga vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $275 per month, with Naga 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

Naga vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Naga and Phuket differ by about 127% in total monthly costs ($557 vs $1,265 including rent). Naga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 252% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $157 in Naga versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Naga – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $557 per month in Naga versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $557 in Naga versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Naga but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Naga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Naga 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.

Expats usually find Naga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.