Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Altos Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Altos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $242 in Altos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $365 in Altos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $487 in Altos.

Living in Phuket is roughly 422% more expensive than Altos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Altos 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.48 ₲2,903

364.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.59 ₲3,584

210.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.98 ₲5,966

121.43%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.94 ₲11.8K

13.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.17 ₲37.6K

219.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.60 ₲21.9K

0.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$5.60 ₲34.1K

141.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.45 ₲15.0K

33.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.27 ₲7,745

26.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.42 ₲8,661

69.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.81 ₲11.0K

14.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.22 ₲7,421

25.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.64 ₲9,977

-9.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.22 ₲7,447

-18.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.51 ₲3,110

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$7.82 ₲47.6K

147.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.68 ₲4,143

161.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$0.76 ₲4,647

256.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.42 ₲2,541

226.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$12.06 ₲73.5K

-5.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.77 ₲4,716

292.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.72 ₲4,374

37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.14 ₲6,944

19.30%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$19.2K ₲117.1M

46.81%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$23.9K ₲145.5M

37.78%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$34.49 ₲210.2K

252.86%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$7.97 ₲48.5K

70.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$14.09 ₲85.8K

29.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.48 ₲21.2K

149.71%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$24.63 ₲150.1K

141.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,508 ₲9.2M

148.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$988 ₲6.0M

164.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$502 ₲3.1M

1.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-46.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Altos: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Altos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Altos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 422% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 1% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 97% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

A monthly transit pass in Altos runs roughly 6% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $242 in Altos versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Altos but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Altos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Altos is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Altos are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Altos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 422% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.