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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $928 in Ao Nang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,531 in Ao Nang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,134 in Ao Nang.

Living in Phuket is roughly 36% more expensive than Ao Nang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Ao Nang 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$2.28 ฿74.2

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$25.70 ฿837

81.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$9.96 ฿324

-14.96%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.08 ฿35.16

180.56%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.69 ฿22.39

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.37 ฿12.21

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.83 ฿92.3

-12.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.78 ฿123

-3.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$2.79 ฿90.8

-21.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.53 ฿49.91

24.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.27 ฿41.31

73.23%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.90 ฿94.5

-23.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$18.55 ฿604

7.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.01 ฿98.0

21.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.98 ฿358

20.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.11 ฿101

3.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.21 ฿39.54

40.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.95 ฿63.6

22.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.53 ฿49.92

35.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.53 ฿49.77

3.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.26 ฿40.98

17.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.97 ฿31.66

6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.49 ฿15.84

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.29 ฿140

-0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$15.34 ฿500

22.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.74 ฿56.7

1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.77 ฿90.1

-0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.94 ฿30.54

44.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$37.15 ฿1,210

-69.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.05 ฿34.24

199.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.20 ฿38.99

-13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$6.05 ฿197

127.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.28 ฿41.84

4.69%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$27.4K ฿893.9K

0.85%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$27.3K ฿888.8K

24.09%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$76.9 ฿2,504

60.76%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$8.57 ฿279

57.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$18.72 ฿610

-0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$48.50 ฿1,580

27.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$12.32 ฿401

40.02%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$7.19 ฿234

27.12%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$296 ฿9,639

137.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$9,744 ฿317.3K

62.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$33.79 ฿1,101

75.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$34.81 ฿1,134

0.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$99.3 ฿3,233

16.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$71.3 ฿2,321

17.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$416 ฿13.5K

48.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$246 ฿8,004

76.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$611 ฿19.9K

237.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$660 ฿21.5K

128.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,255 ฿73.5K

61.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,597 ฿52.0K

64.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$1,266 ฿41.2K

-59.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ao Nang: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $416 in Ao Nang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ao Nang pays 150% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Ao Nang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $264 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 36% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $928 including rent). Ao Nang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ao Nang earns 150% less. 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: $619 in Phuket versus $416 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 $26.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $928 in Ao Nang – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $928 in Ao Nang versus $1,261 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 36% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.