Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arue Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arue

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,062 in Arue.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,574 in Arue.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,087 in Arue.

Living in Phuket is roughly 18% more expensive than in Arue, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Arue 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.39 CFPF 145

62.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$4.83 CFPF 503

-62.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$3.95 CFPF 411

-43.04%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$11.60 CFPF 1,209

-80.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$57.4 CFPF 5,980

-66.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$27.36 CFPF 2,849

-86.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$24.70 CFPF 2,572

-47.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$5.57 CFPF 581

-42.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.85 CFPF 296

-43.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$7.86 CFPF 819

-69.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$8.92 CFPF 929

-77.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$4.38 CFPF 457

-65.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.87 CFPF 298

-47.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$3.81 CFPF 396

-74.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.41 CFPF 147

-63.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$12.06 CFPF 1,256

-63.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$28.67 CFPF 2,986

-36.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.98 CFPF 311

-37.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$7.75 CFPF 807

-65.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,118

$164 CFPF 17.1K

-25.41%

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

$13.59 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$125 CFPF 13.0K

-84.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arue: July 11, 2026

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 18% 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 $1,875 in Phuket and $1,593 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 165% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $1,062 in Arue – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,062 in Arue versus $1,250 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 $1,062 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 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.