Cost of Living Comparison Between Ostia and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ostia and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,690 per month in Ostia vs $1,247 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,587 per month in Ostia vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,485 per month in Ostia vs $3,306 in Phuket, rent included.

Ostia costs about 36% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ostia sits 25% above the global median, while Phuket is 7% below โ€“ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Ostia
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.20 โ‚ฌ14.64
$4.59 เธฟ147
274.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.7 โ‚ฌ65.3
$46.83 เธฟ1,501
63.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.56 โ‚ฌ9.83
$8.70 เธฟ279
32.87%
Cappuccino
$2.21 โ‚ฌ1.88
$2.92 เธฟ93.7
-24.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 โ‚ฌ1.93
$0.68 เธฟ21.92
232.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 โ‚ฌ0.92
$0.40 เธฟ12.70
170.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.51 โ‚ฌ3.84
$2.51 เธฟ80.4
79.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 โ‚ฌ3.84
$3.80 เธฟ122
18.68%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Ostia
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 โ‚ฌ1.45
$2.16 เธฟ69.3
-20.83%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 โ‚ฌ1.86
$1.88 เธฟ60.3
16.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.91 โ‚ฌ2.48
$2.16 เธฟ69.2
34.72%
Eggs
$4.60 โ‚ฌ3.91
$2.22 เธฟ71.2
107.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.99 โ‚ฌ12.76
$19.57 เธฟ627
-23.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.34 โ‚ฌ8.80
$3.80 เธฟ122
172.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.29 โ‚ฌ13.86
$13.41 เธฟ430
21.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.46 โ‚ฌ2.09
$3.26 เธฟ104
-24.54%
Banana (1kg)
$2.19 โ‚ฌ1.86
$1.61 เธฟ51.7
36.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 โ‚ฌ1.67
$2.31 เธฟ74.0
-15.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.68 โ‚ฌ2.28
$2.06 เธฟ66.0
30.10%
Potato (1kg)
$1.80 โ‚ฌ1.53
$1.61 เธฟ51.5
11.80%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 โ‚ฌ1.59
$1.44 เธฟ46.26
29.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.26 โ‚ฌ1.07
$1.03 เธฟ33.01
22.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 โ‚ฌ0.44
$0.48 เธฟ15.39
8.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.97 โ‚ฌ5.93
$4.50 เธฟ144
54.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.19 โ‚ฌ4.42
$19.18 เธฟ615
-72.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 โ‚ฌ1.58
$1.82 เธฟ58.4
2.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 โ‚ฌ2.27
$2.69 เธฟ86.2
-1.12%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Ostia
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.72 โ‚ฌ1.46
$1.38 เธฟ44.16
24.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.87 โ‚ฌ37.34
$11.76 เธฟ377
273.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 โ‚ฌ4.56
$3.11 เธฟ99.6
72.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.59 โ‚ฌ1.36
$1.00 เธฟ32.18
59.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.41 โ‚ฌ30.13
$13.74 เธฟ441
157.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.94 โ‚ฌ1.65
$1.30 เธฟ41.61
49.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K โ‚ฌ24.7K
$27.4K เธฟ877.0K
5.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.8K โ‚ฌ25.4K
$33.0K เธฟ1.1M
-9.67%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ostia
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$224 โ‚ฌ191
$125 เธฟ4,004
79.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.00 โ‚ฌ9.36
$13.74 เธฟ440
-19.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.04 โ‚ฌ28.12
$18.61 เธฟ597
77.54%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Ostia
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.8 โ‚ฌ54.3
$60.6 เธฟ1,941
5.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.12 โ‚ฌ19.67
$17.15 เธฟ550
34.81%
Cinema Ticket
$11.48 โ‚ฌ9.77
$9.01 เธฟ289
27.41%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Ostia
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$399 โ‚ฌ339
$698 เธฟ22.4K
-42.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,092 โ‚ฌ7,737
$16.1K เธฟ516.5K
-43.57%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Ostia
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.6 โ‚ฌ63.4
$59.2 เธฟ1,898
25.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.37 โ‚ฌ29.25
$34.86 เธฟ1,118
-1.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 โ‚ฌ72.2
$114 เธฟ3,662
-25.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 โ‚ฌ102
$85.8 เธฟ2,751
39.70%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Ostia
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$748 โ‚ฌ636
$619 เธฟ19.8K
20.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$581 โ‚ฌ495
$437 เธฟ14.0K
33.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,235 โ‚ฌ1,051
$2,075 เธฟ66.5K
-40.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$929 โ‚ฌ790
$1,509 เธฟ48.4K
-38.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,840 โ‚ฌ2,417
$3,764 เธฟ120.7K
-24.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,169 โ‚ฌ1,846
$2,694 เธฟ86.4K
-19.49%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Ostia
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,157 โ‚ฌ1,835
$528 เธฟ16.9K
308.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.95
5.33
-25.89%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ostia: April 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $748 in Ostia versus $619 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 308% higher in Ostia, 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 $77 in Ostia versus $47 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $292 โ€“ making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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
Ostia vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Ostia?
Yes โ€“ Ostia is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,535 per month in Ostia and $1,870 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $399 per month in Ostia and $698 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Ostia and Phuket?
Groceries cost about 5% more in Ostia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Ostia or Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,247, than in Ostia at $1,690. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ostia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ostia or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket โ€“ lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Ostia or Phuket?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ€“ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ostia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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