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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,300 per month in Papeete vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,431 per month in Papeete vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,563 per month in Papeete vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Papeete costs about 82% 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

$17.39 CFPF 1,777

$4.70 ฿153

270.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.8 CFPF 8,359

$45.37 ฿1,482

80.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 CFPF 1,229

$8.43 ฿275

42.82%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CFPF 414

$2.93 ฿95.6

38.23%

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

$3.36 CFPF 343

$0.69 ฿22.40

386.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 CFPF 273

$0.37 ฿11.99

624.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 CFPF 289

$2.41 ฿78.6

17.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 CFPF 394

$3.72 ฿122

3.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 CFPF 160

$2.23 ฿72.9

-29.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 CFPF 77.1

$1.83 ฿59.8

-59.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 CFPF 165

$2.17 ฿70.8

-25.35%

Eggs

$6.62 CFPF 676

$2.21 ฿72.3

199.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.60 CFPF 2,616

$19.74 ฿645

29.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.60 CFPF 1,696

$3.63 ฿119

357.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.66 CFPF 2,723

$13.53 ฿442

97.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 CFPF 514

$3.28 ฿107

53.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 CFPF 228

$1.61 ฿52.6

38.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.90 CFPF 603

$2.41 ฿78.6

144.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.98 CFPF 815

$2.08 ฿68.1

283.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 CFPF 296

$1.53 ฿49.93

89.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CFPF 267

$1.48 ฿48.36

77.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.80 CFPF 389

$0.99 ฿32.29

283.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CFPF 113

$0.51 ฿16.67

117.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 CFPF 1,208

$4.41 ฿144

168.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.52 CFPF 2,504

$19.38 ฿633

26.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 CFPF 203

$1.78 ฿58.1

11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CFPF 315

$2.71 ฿88.6

13.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 CFPF 203

$1.37 ฿44.79

45.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.74 CFPF 995

$3.02 ฿98.6

222.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 CFPF 156

$1.36 ฿44.51

12.50%

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

$19.2K CFPF 2.0M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-31.79%

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

$29.5K CFPF 3.0M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-10.46%

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

$184 CFPF 18.8K

$122 ฿3,975

50.98%

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

$17.74 CFPF 1,812

$13.57 ฿443

30.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 CFPF 6,540

$18.31 ฿598

249.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 CFPF 7,885

$60.2 ฿1,967

28.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$14.65 CFPF 1,496

$8.69 ฿284

68.58%

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

$481 CFPF 49.1K

$693 ฿22.6K

-30.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,754 CFPF 996.4K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-37.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 CFPF 7,872

$59.5 ฿1,944

29.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$83.4 CFPF 8,517

$34.77 ฿1,136

139.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 CFPF 7,964

$115 ฿3,743

-31.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 CFPF 9,514

$83.3 ฿2,720

11.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,231 CFPF 125.7K

$613 ฿20.0K

100.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$957 CFPF 97.7K

$437 ฿14.3K

118.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 CFPF 197.1K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-7.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 CFPF 161.2K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

4.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,536 CFPF 871.9K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

127.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,526 CFPF 666.6K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

149.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,416 CFPF 246.8K

$508 ฿16.6K

375.51%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,231 in Papeete versus $613 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 376% 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 $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $506 vs $293 – 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 82%, 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 $3,449 per month in Papeete and $1,898 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 $2,300 in Papeete and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $481 per month in Papeete and $693 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 $1,265, than in Papeete at $2,300. 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.