Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and CacakCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cacak
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,096 in Cacak.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,641 in Cacak.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,186 in Cacak.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 12% more expensive than Cacak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Cacak18% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Cacak
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$7.35RSD 737
-37.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,523
$38.84RSD 3,894
20.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿287
$10.91RSD 1,093
-18.97%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿97.4
$1.55RSD 155
93.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.11
$2.12RSD 213
-65.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.88
$1.44RSD 144
-74.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.3
$2.52RSD 253
-3.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿117
$2.64RSD 265
36.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Cacak
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.5
$1.30RSD 130
73.85%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿59.8
$0.76RSD 76.0
142.11%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.0
$2.81RSD 282
-20.28%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.3
$2.70RSD 270
-14.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿639
$3.93RSD 394
400.51%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$6.82RSD 684
-46.48%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿426
$12.82RSD 1,286
2.18%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿110
$1.30RSD 130
160.77%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.4
$1.90RSD 191
-13.68%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.5
$1.56RSD 156
54.49%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.0
$2.56RSD 257
-20.70%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.6
$1.01RSD 101
54.46%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.66
$0.94RSD 94.4
59.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.30
$0.81RSD 80.8
25.93%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿15.91
$0.57RSD 56.9
-14.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$4.56RSD 457
-2.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿614
$5.58RSD 559
238.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿57.7
$0.85RSD 85.3
109.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿89.5
$2.20RSD 221
25.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Cacak
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.54
$0.99RSD 99.0
41.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿373
$27.80RSD 2,787
-58.71%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿101
$1.99RSD 199
56.78%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.48
$0.69RSD 69.0
44.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿458
$9.32RSD 934
51.18%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿43.93
$1.71RSD 172
-21.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿883.7K
$27.4KRSD 2.8M
-0.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$28.6KRSD 2.9M
15.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Cacak
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,063
$146RSD 14.7K
-14.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿441
$19.67RSD 1,973
-31.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿602
$19.90RSD 1,996
-6.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Cacak
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿1,999
$30.90RSD 3,098
98.96%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿547
$16.48RSD 1,652
2.18%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿299
$6.25RSD 627
47.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Cacak
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.7K
$339RSD 34.0K
105.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿506.9K
$7,268RSD 728.7K
114.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Cacak
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,878
$107RSD 10.7K
-45.97%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,146
$46.26RSD 4,638
-23.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,677
$125RSD 12.6K
-9.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,808
$141RSD 14.1K
-38.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Cacak
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.0K
$373RSD 37.4K
65.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.5K
$294RSD 29.4K
51.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿66.6K
$574RSD 57.6K
256.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.5K
$416RSD 41.7K
258.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿122.8K
$2,139RSD 214.4K
76.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.1K
$1,578RSD 158.2K
67.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Cacak
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.0K
$757RSD 75.9K
-30.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
7.31
-27.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Cacak: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $373 in Cacak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cacak pays 45% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Cacak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $199 per month, with Cacak cheaper across the board.
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 Cacak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cacak cheaper than Phuket?
Cacak is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Cacak?
On paper, Cacak earns 45% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Cacak?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $373 in Cacak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $339 in Cacak. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Cacak?
Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Cacak?
At $1,096 in Cacak versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cacak but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cacak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Cacak more family-friendly?
For families, Cacak is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Cacak?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Cacak are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cacak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.