Cost of Living Comparison Between Papeete and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Papeete and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,295 per month in Papeete vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,444 per month in Papeete vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,593 per month in Papeete vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Papeete costs about 84% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Papeete sits 72% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 CFPF 1,815

$4.55 ฿153

283.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.3 CFPF 8,561

$46.18 ฿1,550

78.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 CFPF 1,260

$8.84 ฿297

36.99%

Cappuccino

$3.90 CFPF 406

$3.06 ฿103

27.45%

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

$3.44 CFPF 358

$0.73 ฿24.36

371.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 CFPF 281

$0.40 ฿13.37

575.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 CFPF 301

$2.43 ฿81.6

18.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CFPF 414

$3.78 ฿127

5.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 CFPF 157

$2.26 ฿75.8

-33.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 CFPF 79.1

$1.81 ฿60.8

-58.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 CFPF 175

$2.25 ฿75.7

-25.33%

Eggs

$6.41 CFPF 667

$2.25 ฿75.4

184.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.40 CFPF 2,643

$19.51 ฿655

30.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.68 CFPF 1,735

$3.65 ฿122

356.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.72 CFPF 2,780

$13.05 ฿438

104.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 CFPF 534

$3.23 ฿109

58.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 CFPF 237

$1.62 ฿54.3

40.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.88 CFPF 612

$2.38 ฿80.0

147.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.68 CFPF 799

$2.03 ฿68.0

278.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 CFPF 303

$1.53 ฿51.5

90.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 CFPF 270

$1.50 ฿50.4

72.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.97 CFPF 413

$0.98 ฿32.85

305.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CFPF 121

$0.52 ฿17.36

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.86 CFPF 1,234

$4.44 ฿149

167.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.16 CFPF 2,202

$18.32 ฿615

15.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CFPF 203

$1.86 ฿62.6

4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 CFPF 332

$2.68 ฿90.0

19.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 CFPF 207

$1.41 ฿47.37

41.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.49 CFPF 987

$3.11 ฿104

205.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 CFPF 165

$1.31 ฿44.02

20.61%

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

$19.3K CFPF 2.0M

$27.8K ฿933.8K

-30.66%

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

$29.5K CFPF 3.1M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-11.31%

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

$183 CFPF 19.1K

$122 ฿4,110

49.60%

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

$17.68 CFPF 1,840

$13.59 ฿456

30.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 CFPF 6,457

$18.70 ฿628

231.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 CFPF 8,033

$60.5 ฿2,031

27.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿570

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 CFPF 1,531

$9.07 ฿305

62.18%

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

$493 CFPF 51.3K

$706 ฿23.7K

-30.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,750 CFPF 1.0M

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-38.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 CFPF 8,169

$58.6 ฿1,965

34.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$82.3 CFPF 8,558

$35.36 ฿1,187

132.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 CFPF 7,931

$115 ฿3,876

-33.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 CFPF 9,556

$83.7 ฿2,811

9.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 CFPF 126.8K

$626 ฿21.0K

94.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 CFPF 101.0K

$445 ฿14.9K

118.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,918 CFPF 199.6K

$2,040 ฿68.5K

-5.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 CFPF 159.7K

$1,492 ฿50.1K

2.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,591 CFPF 893.9K

$3,483 ฿116.9K

146.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,309 CFPF 656.4K

$2,577 ฿86.5K

144.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,387 CFPF 248.3K

$500 ฿16.8K

377.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

12.57%

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

Last update for Papeete: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,219 in Papeete versus $626 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 377% higher in Papeete, 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 $82.0 in Papeete versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $498 vs $289 – 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

Papeete vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Papeete is pricier by about 84%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,443 per month in Papeete and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,295 in Papeete and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $493 per month in Papeete and $706 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Papeete at $2,295. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Papeete it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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