Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Benidorm Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Benidorm

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $1,735 in Benidorm, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $2,559 in Benidorm, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $3,383 in Benidorm, rent included.

Phuket is about 29% cheaper than Benidorm, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 8% below the global median, while Benidorm is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$15.14 €13.21

-70.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$53.0 €46.25

-12.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$9.65 €8.42

-12.02%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$2.41 €2.10

27.80%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$2.36 €2.06

-71.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$1.43 €1.25

-74.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

$3.57 €3.11

-31.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.56 €3.10

1.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$1.11 €0.97

97.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$1.31 €1.14

38.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$1.47 €1.28

51.70%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$2.83 €2.46

-20.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$11.43 €9.97

71.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$8.51 €7.43

-56.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

$14.02 €12.23

-3.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$2.11 €1.84

59.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.78 €1.56

-8.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.05 €1.79

17.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$2.37 €2.07

-16.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.88 €1.64

-18.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$2.01 €1.75

-27.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$1.10 €0.96

-8.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$0.44 €0.39

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$6.35 €5.54

-32.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

$5.31 €4.63

260.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.37 €1.20

34.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

$1.51 €1.32

81.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

$1.87 €1.63

-24.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

$40.96 €35.73

-71.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

$3.54 €3.09

-15.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$1.26 €1.10

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

$25.16 €21.95

-44.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$1.81 €1.58

-28.73%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

$32.6K €28.5K

-14.07%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$32.3K €28.2K

3.58%

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

$122 ฿3,997

$144 €126

-15.40%

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

$13.93 ฿457

$13.22 €11.54

5.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$30.77 €26.84

-38.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

$52.6 €45.91

16.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

$40.46 €35.30

-58.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

$10.12 €8.83

-12.15%

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

$691 ฿22.7K

$412 €359

67.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

$7,613 €6,642

112.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

$103 €90.1

-44.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

$28.40 €24.78

24.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

$69.6 €60.7

63.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

$103 €90.2

-19.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

$966 €843

-37.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

$841 €733

-46.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

$1,608 €1,403

26.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

$1,334 €1,164

11.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

$5,360 €4,677

-33.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

$2,765 €2,412

-6.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.5K

$1,785 €1,557

-71.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

3.13

70.29%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Benidorm: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $966 in Benidorm. 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 254% higher in Benidorm, 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $53.0 in Benidorm. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Phuket vs $241 in Benidorm – so Benidorm 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 Benidorm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Benidorm is pricier by about 42%, 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 $1,835 per month in Phuket and $2,602 in Benidorm. 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 $691 per month in Phuket and $412 in Benidorm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Benidorm – 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 $1,223, than in Benidorm at $1,735. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Benidorm 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, Benidorm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.