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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $3,489 in Airolo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $5,301 in Airolo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $7,113 in Airolo, rent included.

Phuket is about 64% cheaper than Airolo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Airolo is 160% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$31.30 CHF 24.85

-85.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$141 CHF 112

-66.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$18.72 CHF 14.86

-54.75%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$6.03 CHF 4.79

-49.75%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$5.21 CHF 4.13

-86.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$4.85 CHF 3.85

-92.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$8.14 CHF 6.47

-69.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.35 CHF 5.84

-50.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$2.19 CHF 1.74

-0.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$3.55 CHF 2.82

-46.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$4.11 CHF 3.26

-46.47%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$7.25 CHF 5.75

-69.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$28.90 CHF 22.94

-30.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$33.61 CHF 26.68

-89.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$46.70 CHF 37.07

-71.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.79 CHF 3.01

-14.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.21 CHF 1.76

-23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.87 CHF 2.28

-16.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$6.15 CHF 4.88

-66.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.53 CHF 2.01

-37.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.36 CHF 1.88

-37.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$2.57 CHF 2.04

-59.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.38 CHF 1.09

-62.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$10.89 CHF 8.64

-60.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$15.53 CHF 12.33

20.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.33 CHF 1.85

-24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$3.29 CHF 2.62

-16.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$3.96 CHF 3.14

-65.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$97.0 CHF 77.0

-88.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$7.79 CHF 6.18

-59.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$4.26 CHF 3.38

-75.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$79.6 CHF 63.2

-82.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$2.22 CHF 1.76

-39.64%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$39.9K CHF 31.6K

-30.57%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$41.2K CHF 32.7K

-17.84%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$262 CHF 208

-52.89%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$48.60 CHF 38.58

-72.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$59.5 CHF 47.20

-68.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$87.4 CHF 69.4

-29.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$23.24 CHF 18.45

-60.67%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$2,876 CHF 2,283

-75.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$34.2K CHF 27.2K

-53.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$136 CHF 108

-56.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$66.5 CHF 52.8

-47.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$151 CHF 120

-23.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$189 CHF 150

-55.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$1,670 CHF 1,326

-62.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$1,458 CHF 1,158

-70.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$2,877 CHF 2,284

-28.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$2,510 CHF 1,993

-39.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$17.2K CHF 13.7K

-78.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$12.2K CHF 9,657

-78.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Airolo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $1,670 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $141 in Airolo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $661 – 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 177% 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $5,234 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 $1,261 in Phuket and $3,489 in Airolo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 754% 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 $1,261, than in Airolo at $3,489. 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 $1,261 versus $3,489 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.