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 $371 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,078 per month in Phuket vs $612 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,896 per month in Phuket vs $852 in Calarasi, rent included.

Phuket costs about 240% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Calarasi 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$11.83 MDL 201

-62.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$22.90 MDL 389

53.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$7.11 MDL 121

26.02%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$1.44 MDL 24.40

108.33%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.78 MDL 13.25

-1.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.45 MDL 7.72

4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$1.18 MDL 20.03

103.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$1.50 MDL 25.42

150.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.04 MDL 17.65

75.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$0.34 MDL 5.71

317.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.05 MDL 34.80

3.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$2.01 MDL 34.17

-17.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.70 MDL 11.87

110.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.57 MDL 9.68

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$1.18 MDL 20.06

157.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.64 MDL 27.91

-9.15%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$21.4K MDL 363.6K

28.47%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$62.1 MDL 1,054

64.05%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$6.93 MDL 118

62.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$10.65 MDL 181

66.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$3.44 MDL 58.5

128.20%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$35.28 MDL 599

85.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$35.08 MDL 596

-17.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$109 MDL 1,847

-8.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$35.47 MDL 602

154.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

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: August 18, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $43.00 – 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 240%, 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 $1,891 per month in Phuket and $557 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 533% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Phuket and $23.00 in Calarasi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $371, 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.