Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ao Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ao Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $982 in Ao Nang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,512 in Ao Nang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,041 in Ao Nang.

Living in Phuket is roughly 25% more expensive than in Ao Nang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Ao Nang 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.99 ฿99.9

47.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$24.17 ฿807

33.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$9.97 ฿333

-10.43%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.68 ฿56.2

72.62%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.75 ฿25.12

17.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.32 ฿10.80

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.05 ฿68.5

14.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.06 ฿102

21.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.61 ฿87.2

-28.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.48 ฿49.33

-0.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.33 ฿44.26

16.54%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.84 ฿94.9

-26.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$15.85 ฿529

23.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$2.70 ฿90.3

26.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$10.16 ฿339

12.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.01 ฿100

-1.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.05 ฿34.89

60.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.18 ฿72.7

1.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.87 ฿62.4

15.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.50 ฿50.1

1.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.11 ฿37.10

20.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.12 ฿37.36

0.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.49 ฿16.23

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.45 ฿148

-4.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$16.47 ฿550

15.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.73 ฿57.7

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.89 ฿96.4

-3.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.89 ฿29.77

150.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$35.82 ฿1,196

-36.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.31 ฿43.65

131.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.10 ฿36.59

-7.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$5.09 ฿170

-23.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.35 ฿44.98

10.37%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$26.1K ฿870.5K

1.92%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$29.0K ฿968.9K

-6.88%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$109 ฿3,641

-6.05%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$8.68 ฿290

30.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$17.19 ฿574

1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$40.89 ฿1,365

27.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$14.24 ฿475

-22.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$6.72 ฿224

14.43%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$566 ฿18.9K

-0.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$10.9K ฿364.3K

5.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$50.9 ฿1,698

23.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$29.32 ฿979

0.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$78.5 ฿2,620

24.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$76.7 ฿2,560

15.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$356 ฿11.9K

107.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$300 ฿10.0K

60.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$967 ฿32.3K

117.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$566 ฿18.9K

116.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,830 ฿61.1K

97.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,807 ฿60.3K

44.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,270 ฿42.4K

-61.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Ao Nang: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $356 in Ao Nang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ao Nang pays 157% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Ao Nang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $253 per month, with Ao Nang 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 Ao Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Ao Nang differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $982 including rent). Ao Nang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 157% lower in Ao Nang. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $356 in Ao Nang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ao Nang – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $982 in Ao Nang – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $982 in Ao Nang versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ao Nang but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ao Nang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Ao Nang 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 Ao Nang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.