Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cantรน Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cantรน

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,733 in Cantรน.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,634 in Cantรน.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,534 in Cantรน.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 27% less than in Cantรน, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Cantรน is 29% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Cantรน
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70 เธฟ153
$17.59 โ‚ฌ15.13
-73.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37 เธฟ1,482
$81.8 โ‚ฌ70.3
-44.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.43 เธฟ275
$11.46 โ‚ฌ9.86
-26.44%
Cappuccino
$2.93 เธฟ95.6
$1.92 โ‚ฌ1.65
52.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 เธฟ22.40
$2.88 โ‚ฌ2.47
-76.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 เธฟ11.99
$1.36 โ‚ฌ1.17
-72.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 เธฟ78.6
$5.91 โ‚ฌ5.09
-59.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 เธฟ122
$5.63 โ‚ฌ4.84
-33.93%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Cantรน
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 เธฟ72.9
$1.66 โ‚ฌ1.43
34.34%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 เธฟ59.8
$1.14 โ‚ฌ0.98
60.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 เธฟ70.8
$3.56 โ‚ฌ3.07
-39.04%
Eggs
$2.21 เธฟ72.3
$3.98 โ‚ฌ3.43
-44.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.74 เธฟ645
$15.88 โ‚ฌ13.66
24.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 เธฟ119
$13.54 โ‚ฌ11.65
-73.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 เธฟ442
$18.22 โ‚ฌ15.67
-25.74%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 เธฟ107
$2.75 โ‚ฌ2.36
19.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 เธฟ52.6
$1.73 โ‚ฌ1.48
-6.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 เธฟ78.6
$2.46 โ‚ฌ2.11
-2.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 เธฟ68.1
$2.86 โ‚ฌ2.46
-27.27%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 เธฟ49.93
$1.70 โ‚ฌ1.47
-10.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 เธฟ48.36
$1.78 โ‚ฌ1.53
-16.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 เธฟ32.29
$1.36 โ‚ฌ1.17
-27.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 เธฟ16.67
$0.57 โ‚ฌ0.49
-10.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 เธฟ144
$7.00 โ‚ฌ6.02
-37.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.38 เธฟ633
$4.75 โ‚ฌ4.08
308.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 เธฟ58.1
$2.09 โ‚ฌ1.80
-14.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 เธฟ88.6
$2.67 โ‚ฌ2.29
1.50%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Phuket
Cantรน
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 เธฟ44.79
$1.69 โ‚ฌ1.46
-18.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.39 เธฟ372
$42.95 โ‚ฌ36.95
-73.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 เธฟ98.6
$3.42 โ‚ฌ2.94
-11.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 เธฟ32.48
$2.02 โ‚ฌ1.74
-50.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.10 เธฟ461
$56.9 โ‚ฌ48.90
-75.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 เธฟ44.51
$2.11 โ‚ฌ1.82
-35.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K เธฟ921.1K
$28.5K โ‚ฌ24.5K
-1.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K เธฟ1.1M
$32.6K โ‚ฌ28.1K
0.79%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Cantรน
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 เธฟ3,975
$244 โ‚ฌ210
-50.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 เธฟ443
$15.29 โ‚ฌ13.15
-11.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31 เธฟ598
$30.29 โ‚ฌ26.06
-39.55%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Cantรน
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.2 เธฟ1,967
$54.3 โ‚ฌ46.69
10.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14 เธฟ560
$22.84 โ‚ฌ19.65
-24.96%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69 เธฟ284
$11.95 โ‚ฌ10.28
-27.28%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Cantรน
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$693 เธฟ22.6K
$751 โ‚ฌ646
-7.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K เธฟ512.3K
$4,103 โ‚ฌ3,530
282.30%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Cantรน
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 เธฟ1,944
$93.3 โ‚ฌ80.3
-36.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77 เธฟ1,136
$40.56 โ‚ฌ34.89
-14.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 เธฟ3,743
$108 โ‚ฌ93.1
5.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3 เธฟ2,720
$139 โ‚ฌ120
-40.12%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Cantรน
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$613 เธฟ20.0K
$753 โ‚ฌ648
-18.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 เธฟ14.3K
$573 โ‚ฌ492
-23.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,094 เธฟ68.4K
$1,223 โ‚ฌ1,052
71.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 เธฟ49.3K
$940 โ‚ฌ809
60.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,749 เธฟ122.5K
$2,547 โ‚ฌ2,191
47.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,616 เธฟ85.4K
$2,133 โ‚ฌ1,835
22.61%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Cantรน
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$508 เธฟ16.6K
$2,952 โ‚ฌ2,539
-82.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
4.68
13.89%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cantรน: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $753 in Cantรน. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cantรน pays 481% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $82.0 in Cantรน for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $323 per month, with Phuket 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 Cantรน: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Cantรน?
Phuket and Cantรน differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $1,733 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Cantรน earns 481% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Cantรน?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $753 in Cantรน. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Cantรน?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $751 in Cantรน. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Cantรน. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,733 in Cantรน, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Cantรน. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Cantรน?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Cantรน safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Cantรน are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Cantรน?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 37% less than in Cantรน. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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