Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ayutthaya

For one person, living is cheaper in Ayutthaya: $745 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Ayutthaya
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Ayutthaya Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Ayutthaya

🇹🇭 Thailand

$745

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Ayutthaya

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 Ayutthaya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $745 in Ayutthaya, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Ayutthaya $745

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,145 in Ayutthaya, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Ayutthaya $1,145

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $1,545 in Ayutthaya, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Ayutthaya $1,545

Phuket costs about 72% more than Ayutthaya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Ayutthaya are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Ayutthaya 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$1.81 ฿61.1

146.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$21.93 ฿741

47.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$6.90 ฿233

27.68%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.5

$1.82 ฿61.6

55.49%

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

$0.87 ฿29.43

$0.72 ฿24.33

20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.67

$0.31 ฿10.52

58.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.4

$2.05 ฿69.3

24.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$2.92 ฿98.6

26.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.42 ฿47.97

16.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.35

$1.33 ฿44.86

9.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.27 ฿42.84

18.11%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$1.72 ฿58.2

21.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿644

$12.11 ฿409

57.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.42 ฿81.6

36.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$8.19 ฿277

33.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿99.0

$2.49 ฿84.1

17.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.1

$0.94 ฿31.90

79.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.05 ฿69.3

9.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$1.30 ฿43.89

60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$1.72 ฿58.3

-12.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.05 ฿35.30

31.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.99

$1.86 ฿62.7

-42.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.52

$0.41 ฿13.68

26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$4.38 ฿148

-4.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$14.28 ฿482

31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$1.57 ฿53.2

15.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$1.81 ฿61.0

56.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.03

$1.02 ฿34.30

42.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,913

$11.85 ฿400

378.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$1.30 ฿43.98

132.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.36

$1.56 ฿52.7

-34.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$5.36 ฿181

-31.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.81

$1.19 ฿40.15

23.53%

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

$26.8K ฿904.3K

$17.8K ฿599.9K

50.72%

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

$26.7K ฿901.3K

$26.4K ฿891.4K

1.11%

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

$96.4 ฿3,254

$77.0 ฿2,600

25.13%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$9.29 ฿314

21.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$14.97 ฿506

12.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,270

$55.7 ฿1,882

20.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

$8.79 ฿297

22.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$4.65 ฿157

61.29%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$181 ฿6,105

163.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.4K

$8,814 ฿297.7K

27.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,106

$67.6 ฿2,283

-7.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$38.74 ฿1,308

-26.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,184

$75.0 ฿2,532

25.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,898

$58.6 ฿1,980

46.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$218 ฿7,364

228.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$163 ฿5,518

200.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.1K

$503 ฿17.0K

282.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$290 ฿9,806

392.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿141.0K

$1,626 ฿54.9K

156.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$1,399 ฿47.2K

117.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$807 ฿27.3K

-37.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.75

48.53%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ayutthaya: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Ayutthaya

$163 21.9% 66.7% $327

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Ayutthaya

$205 27.5% 23% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Ayutthaya

$101 13.6% 18.6% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Ayutthaya

$108 14.5% 11.4% $14

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Ayutthaya

$77 10.4% 36.5% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Ayutthaya

$65 8.7% 20.9% $17

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Ayutthaya

$25 3.4% 64.6% $46

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $218 in Ayutthaya. 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 61% higher in Ayutthaya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $22 in Ayutthaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $205 – making Ayutthaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇹🇭 Ayutthaya

🕒 Local time

21:56 9:56 PM

Same time as Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

50,830

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Ayutthaya 760 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Ayutthaya

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 Ayutthaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 72%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $1,117 in Ayutthaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ayutthaya, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $218 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $181 in Ayutthaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ayutthaya, where all-in costs run around $745, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Ayutthaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ayutthaya – 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.

For expats, Ayutthaya is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 72% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.