Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phu Quoc and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phu Quoc: $728 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phu Quoc, Vietnam
Phuket, Thailand
Phu Quoc
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$728
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phu Quoc and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phu Quoc and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $728 per month in Phu Quoc vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Phu Quoc $728
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $1,173 per month in Phu Quoc vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Phu Quoc $1,173
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $1,617 per month in Phu Quoc vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Phu Quoc $1,617
  • Phuket $3,154

Phu Quoc is about 43% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phu Quoc and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Phu Quoc 47% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phu Quoc
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.89 ₫48.5K
$4.47 ฿151
-57.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.69 ₫532.7K
$32.41 ฿1,092
-36.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.60 ₫118.3K
$8.81 ฿297
-47.79%
Cappuccino
$1.71 ₫44.0K
$2.83 ฿95.3
-39.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ₫12.3K
$0.87 ฿29.37
-44.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 ₫7,150
$0.49 ฿16.64
-42.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.98 ₫25.2K
$2.56 ฿86.2
-61.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 ₫40.5K
$3.68 ฿124
-57.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phu Quoc
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 ₫35.7K
$1.66 ฿55.9
-16.27%
White Bread (500g)
$0.99 ₫25.5K
$1.46 ฿49.25
-32.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.00 ₫25.7K
$1.50 ฿50.4
-33.33%
Eggs
$1.48 ₫38.1K
$2.09 ฿70.4
-29.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.86 ₫305.4K
$19.07 ฿642
-37.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ₫93.4K
$3.30 ฿111
10.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.03 ₫258.3K
$10.91 ฿368
-8.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.69 ₫69.3K
$2.93 ฿98.7
-8.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.07 ₫27.6K
$1.69 ฿56.9
-36.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.34 ₫34.6K
$2.25 ฿75.7
-40.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.12 ₫28.8K
$2.08 ฿70.0
-46.15%
Potato (1kg)
$1.07 ₫27.4K
$1.51 ฿50.9
-29.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 ₫25.8K
$1.38 ฿46.47
-27.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.70 ₫18.0K
$1.07 ฿35.91
-34.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ₫12.5K
$0.52 ฿17.49
-7.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.36 ₫35.1K
$4.20 ฿142
-67.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.51 ₫296.4K
$18.79 ฿633
-38.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 ₫20.3K
$1.82 ฿61.4
-56.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 ₫42.3K
$2.84 ฿95.7
-42.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Phu Quoc
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 ₫8,880
$1.45 ฿48.93
-76.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.40 ₫164.7K
$56.7 ฿1,909
-88.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.71 ₫18.2K
$3.02 ฿102
-76.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.66 ₫16.9K
$1.02 ฿34.29
-35.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.84 ₫73.2K
$3.69 ฿124
-23.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.90 ₫23.3K
$1.47 ฿49.70
-38.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.7K ₫918.1M
$26.8K ฿902.4K
33.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K ₫811.6M
$26.7K ฿899.5K
18.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phu Quoc
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$74.7 ₫1.9M
$96.4 ฿3,247
-22.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.68 ₫146.3K
$11.26 ฿380
-49.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.82 ₫227.1K
$16.85 ฿568
-47.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phu Quoc
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.20 ₫571.6K
$67.2 ฿2,266
-66.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.87 ₫202.8K
$10.73 ฿361
-26.65%
Cinema Ticket
$3.01 ₫77.6K
$7.50 ฿253
-59.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phu Quoc
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$271 ₫7.0M
$476 ฿16.0K
-42.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.7K ₫301.7M
$11.3K ฿379.6K
4.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phu Quoc
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.94 ₫1.0M
$62.4 ฿2,102
-35.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.80 ₫587.2K
$28.41 ฿957
-19.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.3 ₫2.2M
$94.3 ฿3,178
-7.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.3 ₫1.9M
$85.8 ฿2,892
-13.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phu Quoc
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$358 ₫9.2M
$716 ฿24.1K
-49.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$245 ₫6.3M
$491 ฿16.5K
-50.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$722 ₫18.6M
$1,927 ฿64.9K
-62.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$547 ₫14.1M
$1,431 ฿48.2K
-61.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,119 ₫54.6M
$4,175 ฿140.7K
-49.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,256 ₫32.3M
$3,045 ฿102.6K
-58.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phu Quoc
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$502 ฿16.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.1
5.57
63.38%

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

Last update for Phu Quoc: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phu Quoc
$245
Phuket
$491 100% $246
Groceries & Markets
Phu Quoc
$192
Phuket
$266 38.4% $74
Clothing & Footwear
Phu Quoc
$101
Phuket
$122 20.7% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phu Quoc
$89
Phuket
$124 39.5% $35
Eating Out
Phu Quoc
$60
Phuket
$122 101% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Phu Quoc
$28
Phuket
$82 191% $54
Getting Around
Phu Quoc
$12
Phuket
$71 500% $59

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $358 in Phu Quoc versus $716 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 $21 in Phu Quoc versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $266 – making Phu Quoc the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇻🇳 Phu Quoc
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
08:59 8:59 AM
08:59 8:59 AM
Same time as Phu Quoc
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
144,460
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 25,750 VND (100,000 VND = 3.88 USD). 1 EUR = 28,861 VND (100,000 VND = 3.46 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phu Quoc Phuket 670 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Phu Quoc
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Phu Quoc vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phu Quoc or Phuket?
Phuket costs about 76% more than Phu Quoc, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phu Quoc and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,092 per month in Phu Quoc and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Phu Quoc or Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phu Quoc, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $358 there versus $716 in Phuket.
How expensive is transport in Phu Quoc compared to Phuket?
Public transport costs about 89% less in Phu Quoc. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Phu Quoc and in Phuket?
Kindergarten costs $271 per month in Phu Quoc and $476 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Phu Quoc – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Phu Quoc compared to Phuket?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Phu Quoc is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 43% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Phu Quoc vs other spots: cost of living compared

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