Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ariana Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ariana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $697 in Ariana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $1,084 in Ariana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $1,470 in Ariana, rent included.

Phuket costs about 80% more than Ariana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Ariana are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Ariana 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$4.20 TND 12.13

8.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$20.92 TND 60.5

55.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$5.07 TND 14.65

75.54%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$0.92 TND 2.66

204.35%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$0.61 TND 1.75

44.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.31 TND 0.91

58.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$1.64 TND 4.74

45.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$2.01 TND 5.80

84.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$0.51 TND 1.49

250.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$0.26 TND 0.75

453.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.34 TND 3.89

17.91%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.53 TND 4.42

39.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$7.15 TND 20.67

178.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$6.11 TND 17.68

-43.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$14.47 TND 41.84

-21.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$1.80 TND 5.20

63.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$2.78 TND 8.05

-38.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$1.20 TND 3.48

93.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$0.75 TND 2.18

177.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$0.86 TND 2.50

70.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$0.69 TND 2.01

97.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$0.53 TND 1.53

107.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.33 TND 0.96

72.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.66 TND 10.58

16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$6.81 TND 19.68

170.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.36 TND 3.93

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$1.57 TND 4.53

85.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$0.33 TND 0.94

572.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$10.13 TND 29.28

126.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$0.33 TND 0.94

818.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$0.35 TND 1.02

205.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$4.29 TND 12.40

-8.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$0.84 TND 2.42

77.38%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$37.2K TND 107.5K

-27.00%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$35.1K TND 101.6K

-21.83%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$68.7 TND 199

49.59%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$9.95 TND 28.77

10.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$20.43 TND 59.1

-14.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$31.80 TND 92.0

68.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$17.36 TND 50.2

-35.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$4.67 TND 13.49

60.17%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$112 TND 324

397.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$3,265 TND 9,441

263.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$38.58 TND 112

66.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$58.2 TND 168

-50.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$92.3 TND 267

4.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$67.8 TND 196

33.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$250 TND 724

191.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$159 TND 461

213.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$443 TND 1,282

371.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$302 TND 874

299.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$1,141 TND 3,300

215.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$733 TND 2,120

242.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$338 TND 977

48.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

13.15

-57.64%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ariana: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $250 in Ariana. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 49% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Phuket versus $21.00 in Ariana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $183 – making Ariana 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 Ariana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,253 in Phuket, $697 in Ariana – roughly 80% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $1,045 in Ariana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 50% more in Phuket, 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 $33.00 in Phuket and $21.00 in Ariana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ariana, where all-in costs run around $697, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Ariana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $697 in Ariana to $1,253 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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