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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,351 in Arta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,012 in Arta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,673 in Arta, rent included.

Phuket is about 6% cheaper than Arta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Arta is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$11.74 €10.10

-59.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$46.15 €39.70

-1.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$10.36 €8.91

-18.63%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$4.45 €3.83

-34.16%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$2.44 €2.10

-71.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.60 €0.51

-38.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$5.55 €4.78

-56.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.77 €4.96

-35.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.30 €1.12

71.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.18 €1.02

55.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.89 €0.76

143.82%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.51 €3.02

-37.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$13.55 €11.65

45.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$11.04 €9.50

-67.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$11.47 €9.87

17.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.02 €0.88

221.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.31 €1.12

22.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.24 €1.07

94.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.03 €0.88

101.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.25 €1.07

22.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.15 €0.99

28.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.79 €0.68

25.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.17 €0.14

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.14 €4.42

-14.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$4.52 €3.89

328.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.94 €0.81

89.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.25 €1.93

20.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.57 €1.35

-12.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$46.60 €40.09

-75.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$4.71 €4.05

-35.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.08 €0.93

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$13.41 €11.53

5.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$2.05 €1.76

-33.66%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$31.8K €27.3K

-11.26%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$30.9K €26.6K

6.51%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$213 €183

-42.86%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$25.58 €22.01

-46.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$25.72 €22.13

-28.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$47.86 €41.17

25.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$26.09 €22.44

-34.30%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$10.08 €8.67

-13.79%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$433 €372

60.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$8,274 €7,117

89.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$83.6 €71.9

-28.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$28.83 €24.80

20.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$82.5 €71.0

38.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$93.4 €80.3

-10.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$489 €421

25.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$382 €328

14.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$766 €659

173.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$610 €525

147.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,729 €2,348

37.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$2,181 €1,876

19.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$925 €796

-45.08%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Arta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $489 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 82% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $46.00 in Arta. Groceries tell a different story – $293 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 7%, 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 $2,027 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 $693 per month in Phuket and $433 in Arta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 30% 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 $1,265, than in Arta at $1,351. 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.