Cost of Living Comparison Between Palikir and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Palikir and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,026 per month in Palikir vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,575 per month in Palikir vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,124 per month in Palikir vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Palikir is about 19% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Palikir and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Palikir 26% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.47 $29.47

$4.66 ฿154

532.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.28 $45.28

$32.22 ฿1,065

40.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.97 $5.97

$8.68 ฿287

-31.22%

Cappuccino

$3.07 $3.07

$2.90 ฿95.8

5.86%

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

$1.13 $1.13

$0.84 ฿27.89

34.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.49 ฿16.16

297.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.48 ฿82.0

-58.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.73 ฿123

-45.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.22 $0.22

$1.89 ฿62.3

-88.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.41 ฿46.54

58.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.62 ฿53.6

34.57%

Eggs

$2.42 $2.42

$2.24 ฿74.1

8.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$19.84 ฿656

-77.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.48 ฿115

23.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$11.37 ฿376

-41.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.90 ฿95.8

20.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.72 ฿57.0

46.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.27 ฿75.1

-2.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.13 ฿70.4

48.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.47 ฿48.72

125.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.42 ฿46.92

51.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.10 ฿36.25

70.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.60 ฿19.76

85.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.31 $18.31

$4.31 ฿142

324.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.79 $6.79

$18.60 ฿615

-63.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.80 ฿59.5

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.97 ฿98.0

-51.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 $0.82

$2.25 ฿74.2

-63.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.22 $34.22

$23.49 ฿776

45.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 $6.13

$3.10 ฿102

97.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.08 ฿35.56

49.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.87 ฿128

24.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.43 ฿47.16

113.99%

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

$3,963 $3,963

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-85.74%

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

$4,018 $4,018

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-85.11%

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

$40.44 $40.44

$105 ฿3,462

-61.41%

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

$14.86 $14.86

$11.39 ฿376

30.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$266 $266

$17.54 ฿580

1418.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.55 $40.55

$54.3 ฿1,795

-25.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 $20.33

$11.44 ฿378

77.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 $7.11

$7.78 ฿257

-8.61%

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

$114 $114

$576 ฿19.0K

-80.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,684 $1,684

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-85.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.90 $19.90

$63.6 ฿2,103

-68.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.01 $25.01

$29.10 ฿961

-14.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 $70.2

$96.2 ฿3,179

-27.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 $55.2

$90.0 ฿2,974

-38.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$858 $858

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-75.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$697 $697

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-73.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 $251

$508 ฿16.8K

-50.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

380000

5.57

6822162.12%

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

Last update for Palikir: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 102% 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 $45.00 in Palikir versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $214 in Palikir vs $275 in Phuket – so Palikir wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Palikir vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,026 in Palikir, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 23% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,539 per month in Palikir and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Palikir and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Palikir, where all-in costs run around $1,026, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Palikir it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,026 in Palikir to $1,265 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Palikir. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.