Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alhaurin el Grande Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alhaurin el Grande

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,603 in Alhaurin el Grande, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $2,296 in Alhaurin el Grande, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,989 in Alhaurin el Grande, rent included.

Phuket is about 21% cheaper than Alhaurin el Grande, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 5% below the global median, while Alhaurin el Grande is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48 ฿150
$15.11 €13.09
-70.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59 ฿1,521
$57.6 €49.86
-20.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿292
$10.43 €9.03
-16.01%
Cappuccino
$2.97 ฿99.0
$2.24 €1.94
32.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.90
$2.43 €2.11
-71.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 ฿13.04
$1.74 €1.50
-77.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿84.4
$3.50 €3.03
-27.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 ฿125
$3.52 €3.05
6.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.15 ฿71.6
$1.17 €1.01
83.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.82 ฿60.6
$1.40 €1.21
30.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.18 ฿72.9
$1.62 €1.40
34.57%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.0
$2.90 €2.51
-22.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.00 ฿667
$13.28 €11.50
50.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ฿121
$8.53 €7.38
-57.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.56 ฿452
$15.29 €13.24
-11.31%
Apples (1kg)
$3.24 ฿108
$2.54 €2.20
27.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ฿54.6
$2.07 €1.79
-20.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ฿77.8
$1.97 €1.71
18.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.07 ฿69.1
$2.60 €2.26
-20.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿51.6
$1.80 €1.56
-13.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.46 ฿48.54
$1.99 €1.73
-26.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 ฿32.86
$1.39 €1.20
-29.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿16.09
$0.70 €0.60
-31.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35 ฿145
$6.37 €5.52
-31.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.57 ฿620
$5.62 €4.86
230.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 ฿61.9
$1.20 €1.04
55.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 ฿88.6
$2.13 €1.85
24.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.42 ฿47.28
$1.70 €1.47
-16.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.57 ฿386
$33.59 €29.09
-65.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.17 ฿106
$4.00 €3.47
-20.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ฿34.41
$1.21 €1.05
-14.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.89 ฿463
$24.48 €21.20
-43.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ฿44.84
$1.79 €1.55
-25.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K ฿927.1K
$38.7K €33.6K
-28.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K ฿1.1M
$29.8K €25.8K
12.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 ฿4,105
$137 €119
-10.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77 ฿459
$20.49 €17.75
-32.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33 ฿611
$32.10 €27.79
-42.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.7 ฿2,025
$47.47 €41.11
27.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16 ฿573
$14.78 €12.80
16.10%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87 ฿296
$9.45 €8.18
-6.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$688 ฿22.9K
$407 €352
69.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K ฿526.4K
$7,606 €6,587
107.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3 ฿1,978
$85.7 €74.2
-30.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69 ฿1,157
$36.32 €31.45
-4.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,843
$88.2 €76.4
30.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8 ฿2,794
$109 €94.5
-23.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$621 ฿20.7K
$807 €699
-23.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$446 ฿14.9K
$687 €595
-35.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,034 ฿67.8K
$1,140 €987
78.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 ฿49.9K
$892 €773
67.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,455 ฿115.3K
$3,511 €3,040
-1.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,531 ฿84.4K
$2,193 €1,899
15.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$494 ฿16.5K
$1,132 €980
-56.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
3.5
52.29%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Alhaurin el Grande: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $807 in Alhaurin el Grande. 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 129% higher in Alhaurin el Grande, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $58.0 in Alhaurin el Grande. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Phuket vs $263 in Alhaurin el Grande – so Alhaurin el Grande wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Alhaurin el Grande: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and in Alhaurin el Grande compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,264 in Phuket, $1,603 in Alhaurin el Grande – roughly 27% apart. Alhaurin el Grande costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Alhaurin el Grande?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $2,405 in Alhaurin el Grande. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Alhaurin el Grande?
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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Alhaurin el Grande – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $58.0 in Alhaurin el Grande. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,264, than in Alhaurin el Grande at $1,603. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alhaurin el Grande it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Alhaurin el Grande?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,264 in Phuket to $1,603 in Alhaurin el Grande. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Alhaurin el Grande safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Phuket and Alhaurin el Grande?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alhaurin el Grande makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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