Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arta Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,391 in Arta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $2,058 in Arta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,725 in Arta, rent included.

Phuket is about 10% cheaper than Arta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Arta is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$11.63 €10.17

-60.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$45.50 €39.81

1.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$10.21 €8.94

-13.42%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$4.32 €3.78

-29.17%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$2.42 €2.12

-69.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.60 €0.52

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$5.36 €4.69

-54.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$5.72 €5.00

-33.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.28 €1.12

76.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.19 €1.04

52.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.96 €0.84

134.38%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$3.51 €3.07

-35.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$13.43 €11.75

45.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$10.93 €9.56

-66.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$11.70 €10.24

11.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.02 €0.90

216.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.24 €1.08

30.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.29 €1.13

84.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.06 €0.93

91.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.30 €1.13

17.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.13 €0.99

32.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.80 €0.70

22.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.15 €0.13

246.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$5.22 €4.57

-14.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$4.41 €3.86

315.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.90 €0.79

106.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$2.27 €1.99

18.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$1.53 €1.34

-7.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$46.81 €40.95

-75.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$4.58 €4.00

-32.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.07 €0.94

-2.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$13.54 €11.85

4.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$2.06 €1.80

-36.41%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$31.6K €27.6K

-11.94%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$31.6K €27.7K

4.95%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$215 €188

-43.14%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$25.40 €22.22

-46.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$25.81 €22.58

-27.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$47.65 €41.69

26.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$25.73 €22.51

-34.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$10.26 €8.98

-11.60%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$421 €368

67.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$8,341 €7,298

89.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$84.5 €73.9

-30.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$28.63 €25.05

23.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$81.8 €71.6

41.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$90.8 €79.5

-7.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$496 €434

26.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$391 €342

13.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$765 €669

166.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$610 €534

144.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$2,910 €2,546

19.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$2,105 €1,842

22.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$903 €790

-44.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.68

13.89%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arta: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $496 in Arta. 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 81% higher in Arta, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $46.00 in Arta. Groceries tell a different story – $289 in Phuket vs $225 in Arta – so Arta wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Arta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Arta is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $2,087 in Arta. 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.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $421 in Arta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Arta – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Arta at $1,391. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arta 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, Arta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.