Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakhon Ratchasima and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakhon Ratchasima and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $772 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,256 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,740 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Nakhon Ratchasima costs roughly 37% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nakhon Ratchasima 42% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 ฿97.0

$4.63 ฿151

-35.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ฿897

$46.84 ฿1,523

-41.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 ฿199

$8.84 ฿287

-30.66%

Cappuccino

$2.07 ฿67.2

$3.00 ฿97.4

-31.00%

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

$0.55 ฿17.98

$0.74 ฿24.11

-25.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.37

$0.37 ฿11.88

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 ฿60.6

$2.44 ฿79.3

-23.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ฿81.4

$3.61 ฿117

-30.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.1

$2.26 ฿73.5

-26.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ฿42.23

$1.84 ฿59.8

-29.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿40.89

$2.24 ฿73.0

-43.75%

Eggs

$1.56 ฿50.7

$2.32 ฿75.3

-32.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.50 ฿504

$19.67 ฿639

-21.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 ฿112

$3.65 ฿119

-5.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 ฿363

$13.10 ฿426

-14.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 ฿104

$3.39 ฿110

-5.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ฿41.92

$1.64 ฿53.4

-21.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$2.41 ฿78.5

-17.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿45.26

$2.03 ฿66.0

-31.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.11

$1.56 ฿50.6

-5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.35

$1.50 ฿48.66

-19.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ฿44.66

$1.02 ฿33.30

34.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.56

$0.49 ฿15.91

-20.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 ฿93.0

$4.45 ฿145

-35.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿611

$18.88 ฿614

-0.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿57.4

$1.78 ฿57.7

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ฿74.5

$2.75 ฿89.5

-16.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ฿15.56

$1.40 ฿45.54

-65.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.39 ฿663

$11.48 ฿373

77.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ฿34.25

$3.12 ฿101

-66.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.07

$1.00 ฿32.48

29.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 ฿251

$14.09 ฿458

-45.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.72

$1.35 ฿43.93

-7.41%

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

$82.6K ฿2.7M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

203.90%

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

$27.6K ฿898.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-16.03%

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

$77.2 ฿2,509

$125 ฿4,063

-38.25%

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

$13.57 ฿441

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.53 ฿602

$18.52 ฿602

0.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.00 ฿1,560

$61.5 ฿1,999

-21.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.28 ฿497

$16.84 ฿547

-9.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 ฿161

$9.19 ฿299

-46.25%

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

$186 ฿6,046

$698 ฿22.7K

-73.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,278 ฿301.6K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-40.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.87 ฿971

$57.8 ฿1,878

-48.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.72 ฿641

$35.24 ฿1,146

-44.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 ฿2,602

$113 ฿3,677

-29.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.78 ฿1,423

$86.4 ฿2,808

-49.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 ฿6,935

$616 ฿20.0K

-65.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$165 ฿5,368

$446 ฿14.5K

-62.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 ฿16.6K

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-75.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-71.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,382 ฿110.0K

$3,779 ฿122.8K

-10.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,757 ฿57.1K

$2,649 ฿86.1K

-33.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$632 ฿20.5K

$524 ฿17.0K

20.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.1

5.33

-4.32%

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

Last update for Nakhon Ratchasima: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $213 in Nakhon Ratchasima and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nakhon Ratchasima pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Nakhon Ratchasima vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $292 per month, with Nakhon Ratchasima 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

Nakhon Ratchasima vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nakhon Ratchasima and Phuket differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($772 vs $1,232 including rent). Nakhon Ratchasima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Nakhon Ratchasima pays 21% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $213 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nakhon Ratchasima – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $772 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nakhon Ratchasima but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Nakhon Ratchasima 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, Nakhon Ratchasima 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 Nakhon Ratchasima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.