🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,603 in Alcala de Guadaira.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,321 in Alcala de Guadaira.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $3,039 in Alcala de Guadaira.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 21% less than in Alcala de Guadaira, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Alcala de Guadaira is 19% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Alcala de Guadaira
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$13.94€12.01
-67.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$57.0€49.13
-18.24%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$10.28€8.86
-17.61%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$2.12€1.83
42.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$2.02€1.74
-65.84%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$1.73€1.49
-78.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$2.36€2.03
5.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$3.39€2.92
7.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Alcala de Guadaira
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.15€0.99
89.57%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$1.48€1.27
28.38%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$1.72€1.48
27.91%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$3.42€2.95
-35.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$13.21€11.38
51.32%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$9.27€7.99
-60.52%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$17.11€14.74
-22.56%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$2.41€2.08
34.02%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$1.80€1.55
-5.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$1.08€0.93
121.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$1.92€1.66
8.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$1.71€1.48
-7.02%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$1.23€1.06
20.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$1.14€0.98
-9.65%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$0.58€0.50
-10.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$6.46€5.57
-34.21%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$6.17€5.32
204.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$1.32€1.14
33.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$2.17€1.87
27.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Alcala de Guadaira
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$1.66€1.43
-18.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
$33.92€29.23
-66.51%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$2.28€1.96
37.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$1.09€0.94
-4.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$13.98€12.05
-1.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$1.81€1.56
-25.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$38.1K€32.9K
-27.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$29.7K€25.6K
14.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Alcala de Guadaira
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$121€105
1.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$23.72€20.44
-43.00%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$36.72€31.64
-49.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Alcala de Guadaira
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$48.42€41.72
27.67%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
$15.31€13.19
12.67%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$9.54€8.22
-4.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Alcala de Guadaira
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$393€339
78.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$6,695€5,769
137.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Alcala de Guadaira
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$83.5€72.0
-28.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$41.58€35.82
-15.66%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$76.2€65.6
51.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$107€92.6
-21.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Alcala de Guadaira
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$871€750
-28.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$694€598
-37.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$1,322€1,139
56.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$999€860
51.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
$3,395€2,925
7.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
$2,230€1,921
17.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Alcala de Guadaira
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
3.51
51.85%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Alcala de Guadaira: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $871 in Alcala de Guadaira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $57.0 in Alcala de Guadaira. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $263, with Alcala de Guadaira cheaper for home cooking.
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 Alcala de Guadaira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Alcala de Guadaira?
Phuket and Alcala de Guadaira differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,603 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Alcala de Guadaira?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $2,404 in Alcala de Guadaira to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Alcala de Guadaira?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $871 in Alcala de Guadaira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Alcala de Guadaira pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $57.0 in Alcala de Guadaira. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,603 in Alcala de Guadaira, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Alcala de Guadaira. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Alcala de Guadaira?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Alcala de Guadaira safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Alcala de Guadaira are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Alcala de Guadaira?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Alcala de Guadaira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.