Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Calarasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Calarasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $687 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,079 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,470 in Calarasi, rent included.

Phuket costs about 84% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Calarasi 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$8.69 MDL 150

-47.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$36.05 MDL 623

29.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.53 MDL 130

12.48%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.89 MDL 32.65

60.32%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.90 MDL 15.59

-23.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.65 MDL 11.15

-43.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.77 MDL 30.56

40.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.40 MDL 41.52

52.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.24 MDL 21.44

75.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.56 MDL 9.62

239.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.51 MDL 26.01

45.70%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.48 MDL 42.89

-10.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.48 MDL 181

90.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.54 MDL 95.7

-33.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$8.82 MDL 152

50.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$0.91 MDL 15.69

254.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.83 MDL 31.63

-7.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.70 MDL 29.35

40.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.15 MDL 37.19

-3.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.81 MDL 14.07

96.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.58 MDL 10.06

155.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.30 MDL 22.44

-20.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.87 MDL 15.09

-40.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$3.31 MDL 57.1

28.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.28 MDL 22.04

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.01 MDL 34.65

37.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.99 MDL 34.43

57.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.27 MDL 4.67

285.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$5.11 MDL 88.3

169.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.36 MDL 23.56

-1.47%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$32.3K MDL 558.2K

-14.37%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$31.4K MDL 542.2K

7.86%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$169 MDL 2,919

-26.89%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$7.73 MDL 134

74.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$10.87 MDL 188

71.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$7.52 MDL 130

21.54%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$392 MDL 6,771

79.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$7,618 MDL 131.6K

108.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$66.5 MDL 1,149

-10.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$54.6 MDL 942

-35.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$111 MDL 1,910

4.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$124 MDL 2,149

-32.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.24

-42.32%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $36.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $182 – making Calarasi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 84%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,031 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $687 in Calarasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $392 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $687, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calarasi – 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 Calarasi. 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.