Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakhon Sawan and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Nakhon Sawan: $1,044 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nakhon Sawan, Thailand
Phuket, Thailand
Nakhon Sawan
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,044
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nakhon Sawan and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nakhon Sawan and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,044 per month in Nakhon Sawan vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Nakhon Sawan $1,044
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $1,620 per month in Nakhon Sawan vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Nakhon Sawan $1,620
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $2,196 per month in Nakhon Sawan vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Nakhon Sawan $2,196
  • Phuket $3,154

Nakhon Sawan is about 18% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Nakhon Sawan and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Nakhon Sawan 23% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nakhon Sawan
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.94 ฿99.3
$4.47 ฿151
-34.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.47 ฿1,197
$32.41 ฿1,093
9.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.97 ฿201
$8.81 ฿297
-32.24%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$2.83 ฿95.4
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67 ฿22.49
$0.87 ฿29.41
-22.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 ฿10.93
$0.49 ฿16.65
-34.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.67 ฿90.2
$2.56 ฿86.3
4.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55 ฿154
$3.68 ฿124
23.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nakhon Sawan
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 ฿63.6
$1.66 ฿55.9
13.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.48 ฿49.90
$1.46 ฿49.31
1.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 ฿46.88
$1.50 ฿50.5
-7.33%
Eggs
$1.67 ฿56.4
$2.09 ฿70.5
-20.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.17 ฿579
$19.07 ฿643
-9.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.50 ฿118
$3.30 ฿111
6.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.82 ฿432
$10.91 ฿368
17.51%
Apples (1kg)
$3.83 ฿129
$2.93 ฿98.9
30.72%
Banana (1kg)
$0.71 ฿23.95
$1.69 ฿57.0
-57.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.66 ฿89.6
$2.25 ฿75.8
18.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.91 ฿64.4
$2.08 ฿70.0
-8.17%
Potato (1kg)
$1.20 ฿40.53
$1.51 ฿51.0
-20.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿40.93
$1.38 ฿46.52
-12.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.82 ฿27.68
$1.07 ฿35.96
-23.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿16.04
$0.52 ฿17.51
-7.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.73 ฿92.0
$4.20 ฿142
-35.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.65 ฿494
$18.79 ฿634
-22.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 ฿53.4
$1.82 ฿61.5
-13.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 ฿112
$2.84 ฿95.8
16.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Nakhon Sawan
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 ฿31.22
$1.45 ฿48.98
-35.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$56.7 ฿1,912
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.03 ฿34.65
$3.02 ฿102
-65.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.15 ฿38.64
$1.02 ฿34.33
12.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.08 ฿205
$3.69 ฿125
64.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 ฿42.37
$1.47 ฿49.76
-14.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.3K ฿1.1M
$26.8K ฿903.4K
17.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K ฿918.9K
$26.7K ฿900.5K
2.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nakhon Sawan
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$107 ฿3,606
$96.4 ฿3,251
10.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.68 ฿428
$11.26 ฿380
12.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.53 ฿591
$16.85 ฿568
4.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nakhon Sawan
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.36 ฿1,665
$67.2 ฿2,268
-26.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.51 ฿456
$10.73 ฿362
25.91%
Cinema Ticket
$7.62 ฿257
$7.50 ฿253
1.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nakhon Sawan
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$794 ฿26.8K
$476 ฿16.1K
66.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K ฿567.1K
$11.3K ฿380.0K
49.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nakhon Sawan
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.4 ฿2,341
$62.4 ฿2,104
11.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.62 ฿1,438
$28.41 ฿958
50.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 ฿3,363
$94.3 ฿3,181
5.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 ฿3,481
$85.8 ฿2,895
20.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nakhon Sawan
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$481 ฿16.2K
$716 ฿24.2K
-32.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$332 ฿11.2K
$491 ฿16.6K
-32.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,318 ฿44.5K
$1,927 ฿65.0K
-31.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$608 ฿20.5K
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-57.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,147 ฿72.4K
$4,175 ฿140.9K
-48.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,943 ฿65.5K
$3,045 ฿102.7K
-36.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nakhon Sawan
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$474 ฿16.0K
$502 ฿16.9K
-5.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.25
5.57
-5.75%

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

Last update for Nakhon Sawan: October 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nakhon Sawan
$332
Phuket
$491 47.6% $158
Groceries & Markets
Nakhon Sawan
$256
Phuket
$266 4.1% $10
Clothing & Footwear
Nakhon Sawan
$142
Phuket
$122 14% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nakhon Sawan
$137
Phuket
$124 9.2% $13
Eating Out
Nakhon Sawan
$102
Phuket
$122 19.5% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Nakhon Sawan
$65
Phuket
$82 27.3% $18
Getting Around
Nakhon Sawan
$10 *
Phuket
$71 575% $60

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Nakhon Sawan versus $716 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 6% higher in Phuket, 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 $35 in Nakhon Sawan versus $32 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Nakhon Sawan vs $266 in Phuket – so Nakhon Sawan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Nakhon Sawan
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
03:43 3:43 AM
03:43 3:43 AM
Same time as Nakhon Sawan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
82,305
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nakhon Sawan Phuket 890 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Nakhon Sawan
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sawan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nakhon Sawan cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 22%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,566 per month in Nakhon Sawan and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nakhon Sawan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $481 there versus $716 in Phuket.
What are total monthly expenses in Nakhon Sawan and in Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,044 in Nakhon Sawan and $1,278 in Phuket. That makes Nakhon Sawan about 18% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $794 per month in Nakhon Sawan and $476 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 enough for either Nakhon Sawan or Phuket?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,044 in Nakhon Sawan and $1,278 in Phuket, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Nakhon Sawan or in Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,044 in Nakhon Sawan to $1,278 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Nakhon Sawan or Phuket?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Nakhon Sawan. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Nakhon Sawan vs other spots: cost of living compared

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