Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Argostoli Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Argostoli

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,419 in Argostoli, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $2,192 in Argostoli, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,965 in Argostoli, rent included.

Phuket is about 11% cheaper than Argostoli, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 8% below the global median, while Argostoli is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$11.49 €9.90

-59.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$63.9 €55.1

-49.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$9.11 €7.86

-4.72%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$4.13 €3.56

-29.78%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$2.34 €2.02

-64.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.59 €0.51

-16.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$4.52 €3.89

-45.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$4.53 €3.90

-17.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.65 €1.42

14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.53 €1.32

-7.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.44 €2.10

-33.61%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$5.07 €4.37

-55.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$11.65 €10.05

70.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$9.99 €8.61

-65.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$14.70 €12.67

-22.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.38 €2.05

21.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$2.29 €1.97

-24.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.77 €1.53

28.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$2.07 €1.79

2.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.20 €1.03

22.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.30 €1.12

9.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.94 €0.81

17.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.89 €0.77

-32.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$5.46 €4.71

-21.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$6.94 €5.98

168.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.70 €1.47

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$3.41 €2.94

-12.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$1.35 €1.17

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$49.85 €42.97

-52.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$4.72 €4.07

-34.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.17 €1.01

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$14.69 €12.66

-73.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$2.28 €1.97

-37.28%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$28.5K €24.6K

-2.62%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$24.0K €20.7K

12.62%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$167 €144

-37.14%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$24.86 €21.43

-54.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$28.87 €24.88

-39.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$51.4 €44.27

5.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$25.68 €22.14

-55.45%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$9.06 €7.81

-14.13%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$497 €429

15.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$4,775 €4,116

142.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$71.0 €61.2

-10.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$37.19 €32.05

-21.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$78.1 €67.4

23.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$111 €95.4

-18.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$516 €445

42.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$412 €355

21.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$785 €677

170.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$663 €571

88.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$2,867 €2,471

23.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$2,395 €2,064

9.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.36

27.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Argostoli: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $516 in Argostoli. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $64.0 in Argostoli. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $284 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Argostoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Argostoli is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,129 in Argostoli. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Argostoli, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $64.0 in Argostoli. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Argostoli at $1,419. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Argostoli it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Argostoli makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.