🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,459 in Amarante.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,013 in Amarante.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,567 in Amarante.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 14% less than in Amarante, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Amarante is 9% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Amarante
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$6.47€5.57
-29.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$23.46€20.22
98.76%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$6.40€5.51
32.34%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$0.84€0.72
260.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$1.64€1.42
-57.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$1.39€1.19
-73.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$1.24€1.07
100.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$1.52€1.31
140.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Amarante
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.10€0.94
98.18%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$0.71€0.62
167.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$1.25€1.08
76.00%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$3.09€2.66
-28.16%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$11.34€9.77
76.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$2.73€2.35
34.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$3.10€2.67
327.42%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$1.61€1.38
100.62%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$1.54€1.33
10.39%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$1.72€1.48
38.95%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$2.98€2.56
-30.20%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$1.32€1.14
20.45%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$1.88€1.62
-21.28%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$1.29€1.12
-20.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$0.93€0.80
-44.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$6.05€5.21
-29.75%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$6.12€5.28
207.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$1.11€0.95
58.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$2.73€2.35
1.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Amarante
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$2.34€2.01
-41.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
$42.31€36.45
-73.15%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$1.28€1.10
145.31%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$1.12€0.96
-7.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$14.29€12.31
-3.64%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$1.91€1.65
-29.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$14.1K€12.2K
95.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$28.0K€24.1K
20.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Amarante
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$134€116
-7.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$20.89€18.00
-35.28%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$41.93€36.13
-55.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Amarante
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$43.86€37.79
40.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$8.52€7.34
7.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Amarante
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$351€302
100.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$8,477€7,303
87.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Amarante
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$70.2€60.5
-15.29%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$34.52€29.74
1.59%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$69.0€59.5
67.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$79.6€68.6
5.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Amarante
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$935€805
-33.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$730€629
-40.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$1,446€1,246
42.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$1,135€978
33.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
$3,470€2,990
5.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
$2,194€1,890
19.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Amarante
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
$1,051€905
-51.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.43
-1.84%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Amarante: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $935 in Amarante. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Amarante pays 107% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $23.00 in Amarante for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $179 per month, with Amarante cheaper across the board.
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 Amarante: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Amarante?
Phuket and Amarante differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,459 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Amarante earns 107% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Amarante?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $935 in Amarante. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Amarante?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $351 in Amarante. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Amarante pay roughly 64% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,459 in Amarante, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Amarante. 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 Amarante?
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 Amarante safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Amarante 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 Amarante?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Amarante. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.