Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Apia Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Apia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $1,000 in Apia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $2,533 in Apia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $4,066 in Apia.

Living in Phuket is roughly 27% more expensive than Apia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Apia 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$53.0 WST 143

-91.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$36.10 WST 97.5

28.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$13.95 WST 37.67

-37.78%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$2.49 WST 6.73

18.47%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$1.99 WST 5.37

-64.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$1.32 WST 3.56

-70.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$4.22 WST 11.39

-40.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$3.50 WST 9.45

8.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$1.75 WST 4.74

26.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$0.83 WST 2.24

116.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$1.75 WST 4.72

25.14%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$4.27 WST 11.54

-45.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$0.88 WST 2.37

2097.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$3.47 WST 9.36

8.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$8.08 WST 21.82

63.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$5.08 WST 13.72

-34.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.83 WST 4.94

-9.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$1.82 WST 4.90

25.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$4.33 WST 11.70

-54.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$3.53 WST 9.54

-56.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$1.05 WST 2.84

43.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$1.17 WST 3.15

-56.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$6.17 WST 16.65

-28.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$16.57 WST 44.73

17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$1.77 WST 4.78

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$3.51 WST 9.48

-23.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$3.52 WST 9.50

-59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$5.40 WST 14.58

-43.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$21.45 WST 57.9

-36.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$1.04 WST 2.82

25.00%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

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

$123 ฿3,962

$17.54 WST 47.35

601.08%

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

$13.82 ฿445

$17.72 WST 47.85

-22.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$35.20 WST 95.0

-46.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

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

$696 ฿22.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$49.68 WST 134

19.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$40.15 WST 108

-13.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$76.1 WST 205

48.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$99.0 WST 267

-14.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$1,837 WST 4,959

-18.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Apia: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $0 in Apia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46 in Phuket vs $36 in Apia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $235 per month, with Apia 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 Apia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Apia wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Apia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,904 in Phuket and $1,499 in Apia to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

All in, you'll spend $1,270 per month in Phuket versus $1,000 in Apia – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,000 in Apia versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Apia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Apia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Apia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,000 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Apia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Apia 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 Apia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.