Cost of Living Comparison Between Pando and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Pando and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,007 per month in Pando vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,876 per month in Pando vs $2,078 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,746 per month in Pando vs $2,896 in Phuket, rent included.

Pando is about 20% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.75 UYU 593

$4.43 ฿145

232.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.53 UYU 1,509

$35.07 ฿1,151

7.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 UYU 500

$8.96 ฿294

38.84%

Cappuccino

$4.87 UYU 196

$3.00 ฿98.4

62.33%

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

$2.53 UYU 102

$0.77 ฿25.33

228.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 UYU 97.1

$0.47 ฿15.44

414.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.78 UYU 152

$2.40 ฿78.6

57.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 UYU 226

$3.75 ฿123

50.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 UYU 45.74

$1.82 ฿59.8

-37.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 UYU 111

$1.42 ฿46.65

94.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 UYU 66.8

$1.55 ฿50.8

7.10%

Eggs

$4.15 UYU 167

$2.13 ฿69.9

94.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 UYU 483

$19.76 ฿648

-39.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.50 UYU 462

$3.48 ฿114

230.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 UYU 465

$11.09 ฿364

4.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 UYU 122

$2.91 ฿95.5

4.47%

Banana (1kg)

$3.30 UYU 133

$1.66 ฿54.6

98.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 UYU 88.4

$2.27 ฿74.5

-3.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 UYU 159

$2.10 ฿68.8

88.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 UYU 82.9

$1.47 ฿48.24

40.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 UYU 84.4

$1.41 ฿46.29

48.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 UYU 62.2

$1.09 ฿35.78

42.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 UYU 78.3

$0.54 ฿17.58

261.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 UYU 409

$4.48 ฿147

126.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.30 UYU 334

$18.72 ฿614

-55.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 UYU 124

$1.84 ฿60.4

67.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 UYU 132

$2.95 ฿96.7

11.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 UYU 141

$3.04 ฿99.9

15.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 UYU 137

$1.09 ฿35.82

212.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.70 UYU 390

$3.82 ฿125

153.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 UYU 85.1

$1.49 ฿48.79

42.28%

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

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

$27.4K ฿900.3K

30.72%

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

$40.1K UYU 1.6M

$27.5K ฿902.7K

45.76%

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

$116 UYU 4,662

$102 ฿3,340

13.89%

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

$24.09 UYU 969

$11.28 ฿370

113.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.61 UYU 1,914

$17.75 ฿582

168.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$12.27 UYU 493

$7.85 ฿258

56.31%

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

$493 UYU 19.8K

$577 ฿18.9K

-14.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,653 UYU 267.5K

$11.6K ฿381.6K

-42.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 UYU 3,564

$65.4 ฿2,144

35.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.38 UYU 1,503

$28.89 ฿948

29.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$168 UYU 6,741

$99.1 ฿3,250

69.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 UYU 4,676

$90.3 ฿2,961

28.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 UYU 13.9K

$756 ฿24.8K

-54.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 UYU 30.2K

$2,085 ฿68.4K

-63.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 UYU 23.7K

$1,207 ฿39.6K

-51.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-10.23%

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

Last update for Pando: August 18, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $347 in Pando versus $756 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Pando versus $35.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $272 – 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

Pando vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,007 in Pando, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 25% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,511 per month in Pando and $1,891 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pando, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,007 in Pando and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $493 per month in Pando and $577 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pando, where all-in costs run around $1,007, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Pando 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 $1,007 in Pando to $1,261 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 Pando. 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.