Cost of Living Comparison Between Palma de Mallorca and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Palma de Mallorca and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,354 in Palma de Mallorca versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,411 in Palma de Mallorca versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,467 in Palma de Mallorca versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Palma de Mallorca is roughly 88% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Palma de Mallorca is 71% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Palma de Mallorca
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.02 €16.40
$4.56 ฿152
317.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.9 €60.3
$32.62 ฿1,086
114.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.91 €12.00
$8.90 ฿296
56.29%
Cappuccino
$3.43 €2.96
$2.80 ฿93.4
22.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 €2.32
$0.88 ฿29.31
205.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 €2.37
$0.49 ฿16.29
459.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.71 €4.07
$2.39 ฿79.5
97.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 €3.42
$3.71 ฿124
6.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Palma de Mallorca
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 €1.22
$1.79 ฿59.5
-21.23%
White Bread (500g)
$1.18 €1.01
$1.44 ฿48.00
-18.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 €1.45
$1.58 ฿52.8
6.33%
Eggs
$3.62 €3.12
$2.13 ฿70.8
69.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.25 €13.15
$19.92 ฿663
-23.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.14 €7.88
$3.43 ฿114
166.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.63 €14.34
$11.33 ฿377
46.78%
Apples (1kg)
$2.54 €2.19
$2.95 ฿98.2
-13.90%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 €1.80
$1.72 ฿57.3
21.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.88 €1.62
$2.32 ฿77.4
-18.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.88 €2.48
$2.08 ฿69.3
38.46%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 €1.73
$1.47 ฿48.96
36.05%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 €1.88
$1.36 ฿45.22
60.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 €1.15
$1.10 ฿36.59
21.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73 €0.63
$0.57 ฿19.13
28.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.12 €6.14
$4.27 ฿142
66.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.74 €4.95
$18.42 ฿613
-68.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.18
$1.87 ฿62.3
-26.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 €1.64
$2.92 ฿97.3
-34.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Palma de Mallorca
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.01
$2.22 ฿73.9
4.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.97 €37.06
$22.90 ฿762
87.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.23 €4.51
$3.03 ฿101
72.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.29
$1.07 ฿35.77
39.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.26 €21.78
$3.93 ฿131
542.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.72 €1.49
$1.49 ฿49.68
15.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K €31.8K
$27.1K ฿903.4K
35.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4K €27.9K
$27.5K ฿914.1K
17.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Palma de Mallorca
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$261 €225
$103 ฿3,423
153.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.86 €20.58
$10.99 ฿366
117.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.36 €37.40
$17.51 ฿583
147.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Palma de Mallorca
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.5 €56.5
$53.5 ฿1,783
22.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.15 €24.28
$11.20 ฿373
151.34%
Cinema Ticket
$9.65 €8.32
$7.48 ฿249
29.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Palma de Mallorca
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$632 €545
$557 ฿18.5K
13.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.9K €9,405
$11.9K ฿394.7K
-8.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Palma de Mallorca
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.9 €65.5
$64.1 ฿2,134
18.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.3 €48.59
$29.07 ฿968
93.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €89.5
$96.0 ฿3,195
8.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136 €117
$90.3 ฿3,008
50.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Palma de Mallorca
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,524 €1,314
$730 ฿24.3K
108.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,106 €954
$500 ฿16.6K
121.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,412 €2,081
$2,090 ฿69.6K
15.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,843 €1,589
$1,209 ฿40.3K
52.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,855 €5,912
$3,596 ฿119.7K
90.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,879 €3,346
$2,512 ฿83.7K
54.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Palma de Mallorca
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,071 €1,786
$503 ฿16.8K
311.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.07
5.57
-44.88%

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

Last update for Palma de Mallorca: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Palma de Mallorca and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palma de Mallorca pays 311% 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: $70.0 in Palma de Mallorca vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $282 vs $273 per month, with Phuket 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
Palma de Mallorca vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Palma de Mallorca?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Palma de Mallorca or Phuket?
Average pay runs 311% higher in Palma de Mallorca, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Palma de Mallorca and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,524 in Palma de Mallorca versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $632 in Palma de Mallorca versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Palma de Mallorca and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Palma de Mallorca. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Palma de Mallorca or in Phuket?
At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,354 in Palma de Mallorca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Palma de Mallorca. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Palma de Mallorca or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Palma de Mallorca, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Palma de Mallorca or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Palma de Mallorca 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Palma de Mallorca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Palma de Mallorca vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities