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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,393 per month in Papeete vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,560 per month in Papeete vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,728 per month in Papeete vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Papeete costs about 89% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Papeete sits 74% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.66 CFPF 2,014

$4.66 ฿154

321.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.5 CFPF 9,885

$32.22 ฿1,065

199.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.44 CFPF 1,582

$8.68 ฿287

77.88%

Cappuccino

$3.45 CFPF 353

$2.90 ฿95.8

18.97%

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

$2.72 CFPF 279

$0.84 ฿27.89

223.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 CFPF 348

$0.49 ฿16.16

591.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 CFPF 343

$2.48 ฿82.0

35.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CFPF 408

$3.73 ฿123

6.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 CFPF 151

$1.89 ฿62.3

-21.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 CFPF 290

$1.41 ฿46.54

100.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 CFPF 171

$1.62 ฿53.6

3.09%

Eggs

$6.70 CFPF 687

$2.24 ฿74.1

199.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.17 CFPF 2,989

$19.84 ฿656

47.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.75 CFPF 1,613

$3.48 ฿115

352.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.10 CFPF 2,776

$11.37 ฿376

138.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 CFPF 505

$2.90 ฿95.8

70.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 CFPF 259

$1.72 ฿57.0

47.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.86 CFPF 702

$2.27 ฿75.1

202.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.14 CFPF 834

$2.13 ฿70.4

282.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CFPF 288

$1.47 ฿48.72

91.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CFPF 238

$1.42 ฿46.92

64.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.95 CFPF 404

$1.10 ฿36.25

259.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CFPF 123

$0.60 ฿19.76

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.12 CFPF 1,344

$4.31 ฿142

204.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.20 CFPF 2,274

$18.60 ฿615

19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 CFPF 289

$1.80 ฿59.5

56.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CFPF 326

$2.97 ฿98.0

7.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 CFPF 201

$2.25 ฿74.2

-12.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.83 CFPF 1,008

$3.10 ฿102

217.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 CFPF 161

$1.43 ฿47.16

10.49%

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

$19.4K CFPF 2.0M

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-30.01%

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

$29.2K CFPF 3.0M

$27.0K ฿891.5K

8.17%

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

$186 CFPF 19.1K

$105 ฿3,462

77.74%

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

$20.21 CFPF 2,070

$11.39 ฿376

77.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.8 CFPF 7,353

$17.54 ฿580

309.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.8 CFPF 8,992

$54.3 ฿1,795

61.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$14.67 CFPF 1,503

$7.78 ฿257

88.56%

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

$482 CFPF 49.4K

$576 ฿19.0K

-16.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,779 CFPF 1.0M

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-15.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 CFPF 7,392

$63.6 ฿2,103

13.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.7 CFPF 7,753

$29.10 ฿961

160.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 CFPF 8,234

$96.2 ฿3,179

-16.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.2 CFPF 9,442

$90.0 ฿2,974

2.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,365 CFPF 139.9K

$733 ฿24.2K

86.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$964 CFPF 98.8K

$501 ฿16.5K

92.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 CFPF 197.6K

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-9.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 CFPF 162.3K

$1,252 ฿41.4K

26.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,343 CFPF 752.3K

$3,534 ฿116.8K

107.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,943 CFPF 813.7K

$2,622 ฿86.6K

202.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,446 CFPF 250.5K

$508 ฿16.8K

381.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.57

-19.21%

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

Last update for Papeete: September 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,365 in Papeete versus $733 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 382% 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 $96.0 in Papeete versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $540 vs $275 – 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 89%, 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 $3,590 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 $2,393 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 $482 per month in Papeete and $576 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 $2,393. 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.