Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Airolo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Airolo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $3,461 in Airolo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $5,391 in Airolo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $7,321 in Airolo, rent included.

Phuket is about 63% cheaper than Airolo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Phuket sits 5% below the global median, while Airolo is 160% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$30.70 CHF 24.77

-85.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$140 CHF 113

-67.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$18.32 CHF 14.79

-52.18%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$6.11 CHF 4.93

-51.39%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$5.24 CHF 4.23

-86.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$4.88 CHF 3.94

-92.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$8.33 CHF 6.72

-69.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$7.54 CHF 6.09

-50.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$2.25 CHF 1.81

-4.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$3.58 CHF 2.89

-49.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$4.19 CHF 3.38

-47.97%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$7.45 CHF 6.01

-69.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$29.52 CHF 23.82

-32.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$33.81 CHF 27.28

-89.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$48.52 CHF 39.16

-72.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.67 CHF 2.96

-11.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.35 CHF 1.89

-30.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$3.02 CHF 2.43

-22.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$6.19 CHF 4.99

-66.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$2.46 CHF 1.98

-36.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$2.43 CHF 1.96

-39.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$2.53 CHF 2.04

-61.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.37 CHF 1.10

-64.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$11.01 CHF 8.89

-60.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$13.95 CHF 11.25

33.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.42 CHF 1.96

-23.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.33 CHF 2.69

-20.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$4.02 CHF 3.25

-64.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$100 CHF 80.9

-88.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$7.81 CHF 6.31

-59.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$4.25 CHF 3.43

-75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$78.5 CHF 63.4

-82.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$2.15 CHF 1.74

-37.67%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$40.4K CHF 32.6K

-31.27%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$41.0K CHF 33.1K

-18.50%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$265 CHF 214

-53.56%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$48.96 CHF 39.51

-71.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$57.9 CHF 46.76

-68.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$86.3 CHF 69.6

-29.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$44.51 CHF 35.92

-61.45%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$23.02 CHF 18.58

-61.47%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$2,931 CHF 2,365

-76.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$35.2K CHF 28.4K

-55.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$139 CHF 112

-57.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$69.0 CHF 55.7

-49.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$148 CHF 120

-22.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$188 CHF 152

-55.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$1,671 CHF 1,349

-62.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$1,453 CHF 1,173

-69.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$2,841 CHF 2,293

-28.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$2,423 CHF 1,955

-38.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$14.5K CHF 11.7K

-76.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$13.4K CHF 10.8K

-81.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

2.5

113.20%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Airolo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $1,671 in Airolo. 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $140 in Airolo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $669 – 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

Phuket vs Airolo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Airolo costs about 174% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $5,191 in Airolo. 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 $1,264 in Phuket and $3,461 in Airolo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 766% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,264, than in Airolo at $3,461. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Airolo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,264 versus $3,461 in Airolo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Airolo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.