ðA single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,634 in Alhaurin el Grande, rent included.
ðA couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $2,308 in Alhaurin el Grande, rent included.
ðA family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,981 in Alhaurin el Grande, rent included.
ðPhuket is about 25% cheaper than Alhaurin el Grande, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðPhuket sits 8% below the global median, while Alhaurin el Grande is 22% above â they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63āļŋ151
$15.08âŽ12.91
-69.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84āļŋ1,532
$57.1âŽ48.86
-17.93%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84āļŋ289
$10.22âŽ8.74
-13.50%
Cappuccino
$3.00āļŋ98.0
$2.24âŽ1.92
33.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74āļŋ24.25
$2.41âŽ2.06
-69.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37āļŋ11.95
$1.67âŽ1.43
-77.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44āļŋ79.8
$3.51âŽ3.00
-30.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61āļŋ118
$3.50âŽ3.00
3.14%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26āļŋ73.9
$1.20âŽ1.03
88.33%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84āļŋ60.1
$1.37âŽ1.18
34.31%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24āļŋ73.4
$1.68âŽ1.44
33.33%
Eggs
$2.32āļŋ75.7
$2.84âŽ2.43
-18.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67āļŋ643
$13.31âŽ11.39
47.78%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65āļŋ119
$8.35âŽ7.14
-56.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10āļŋ428
$15.09âŽ12.92
-13.19%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39āļŋ111
$2.47âŽ2.12
37.25%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64āļŋ53.7
$2.00âŽ1.71
-18.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41āļŋ79.0
$1.93âŽ1.65
24.87%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03āļŋ66.4
$2.56âŽ2.19
-20.70%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56āļŋ50.9
$1.74âŽ1.49
-10.34%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50āļŋ48.94
$1.92âŽ1.64
-21.87%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02āļŋ33.50
$1.34âŽ1.14
-23.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49āļŋ16.00
$0.75âŽ0.64
-34.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45āļŋ145
$6.45âŽ5.52
-31.01%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88āļŋ617
$5.92âŽ5.07
218.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78āļŋ58.1
$1.26âŽ1.08
41.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75āļŋ90.1
$2.06âŽ1.76
33.50%
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40āļŋ45.81
$1.71âŽ1.47
-18.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48āļŋ376
$34.30âŽ29.36
-66.53%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12āļŋ102
$4.02âŽ3.44
-22.39%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00āļŋ32.67
$1.26âŽ1.08
-20.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09āļŋ461
$24.82âŽ21.25
-43.23%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35āļŋ44.19
$1.80âŽ1.54
-25.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
$38.7KâŽ33.1K
-29.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
$30.3KâŽ25.9K
8.66%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125āļŋ4,087
$133âŽ114
-6.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57āļŋ444
$20.55âŽ17.59
-33.97%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52āļŋ606
$31.13âŽ26.65
-40.51%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5āļŋ2,010
$47.39âŽ40.56
29.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84āļŋ551
$14.96âŽ12.81
12.57%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19āļŋ300
$9.47âŽ8.10
-2.96%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698āļŋ22.8K
$408âŽ349
71.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
$7,629âŽ6,530
104.39%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8āļŋ1,889
$83.8âŽ71.8
-31.09%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24āļŋ1,152
$36.37âŽ31.14
-3.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113āļŋ3,699
$87.4âŽ74.8
29.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4āļŋ2,825
$108âŽ92.1
-19.67%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616āļŋ20.1K
$795âŽ681
-22.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446āļŋ14.6K
$690âŽ591
-35.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
$1,170âŽ1,002
74.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
$899âŽ769
66.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
$3,704âŽ3,171
2.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
$2,648âŽ2,267
0.03%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Alhaurin el Grande
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524āļŋ17.1K
$1,186âŽ1,015
-55.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
3.5
52.29%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Alhaurin el Grande: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $795 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.
ð°Salaries run about 126% higher in Alhaurin el Grande, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
ðA mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $57.0 in Alhaurin el Grande. Groceries tell a different story â $292 in Phuket vs $261 in Alhaurin el Grande â 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 Alhaurin el Grande compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,634 in Alhaurin el Grande â roughly 33% 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $2,451 in Alhaurin el Grande. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled â 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 12% cheaper in Alhaurin el Grande â 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 $47.00 in Phuket and $57.0 in Alhaurin el Grande. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafÃĐ 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 $1,232, than in Alhaurin el Grande at $1,634. 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 $1,232 in Phuket to $1,634 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 â 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.