Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arugam Bay

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,190

/mo nomad

Arugam Bay

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

/mo nomad

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,091

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿283

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.3

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

$0.87 ฿29.41

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.45

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.4

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.61

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.5

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.5

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿374

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿95.2

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.5

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿72.2

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.57

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿631

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿749

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿48.07

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

$26.3K ฿885.5K

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

$26.2K ฿880.7K

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

$96.7 ฿3,249

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

$11.41 ฿384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿575

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,775

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿372

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿257

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

$555 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,131

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿961

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,251

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,978

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿39.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.8K

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 4, 2026

Last update for Arugam Bay: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$458 38.1%

Arugam Bay

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.3%

Arugam Bay

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Arugam Bay

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Arugam Bay

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$119 9.9%

Arugam Bay

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.7%

Arugam Bay

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Arugam Bay

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇱🇰 Arugam Bay

🕒 Local time

13:49 1:49 PM

12:19 12:19 PM

1 h 30 min behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

5,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 33.61 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 371 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Arugam Bay 1,830 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Arugam Bay

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 Arugam Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward Arugam Bay – 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 Arugam Bay. 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.