Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arue

For one person, living is cheaper in Arue: $1,012 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Arue

🇵🇫 French Polynesia

$1,012

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Arue

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Arue actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $1,012 in Arue.

Phuket $1,208
Arue $1,012

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $1,498 in Arue.

Phuket $2,027
Arue $1,498

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $1,984 in Arue.

Phuket $2,845
Arue $1,984

Living in Phuket is roughly 19% more expensive than in Arue, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Arue 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿147

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.5

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.56

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.34 CFPF 142

29.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

$4.54 CFPF 481

-67.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$3.75 CFPF 397

-59.73%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$11.43 CFPF 1,209

-81.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

$55.4 CFPF 5,859

-64.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿112

$26.05 CFPF 2,756

-87.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿373

$22.92 CFPF 2,425

-51.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

$5.29 CFPF 560

-46.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

$2.89 CFPF 305

-41.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

$7.36 CFPF 779

-70.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$8.54 CFPF 904

-76.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.57

$4.09 CFPF 433

-64.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.16

$2.83 CFPF 300

-51.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

$3.81 CFPF 403

-71.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.91

$1.37 CFPF 145

-62.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$11.86 CFPF 1,255

-64.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

$27.67 CFPF 2,927

-32.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

$2.73 CFPF 289

-34.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

$7.40 CFPF 782

-61.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿75.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.45

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

$156 CFPF 16.5K

-38.29%

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

$11.04 ฿369

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

$122 CFPF 12.9K

-85.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

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

$556 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Arue: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Arue

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Arue

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Arue

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Arue

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Arue

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Arue

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Arue

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇵🇫 Arue

🕒 Local time

19:29 7:29 PM

02:29 2:29 AM

17 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

10,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

CFP Franc XPF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 XPF = 9.45 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XPF, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 106 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.45 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Arue 12,610 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Arue

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Arue: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arue wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Arue the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,813 in Phuket and $1,518 in Arue 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.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 173% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,208 per month in Phuket versus $1,012 in Arue – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,012 in Arue versus $1,208 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Arue but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Arue the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Arue delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,012 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Arue hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Arue 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 Arue gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.