Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Caranavi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Caranavi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $609 in Caranavi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $888 in Caranavi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,167 in Caranavi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 108% more expensive than in Caranavi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Caranavi 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$1.46 BOB 17.53

219.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$9.38 BOB 112

243.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$4.03 BOB 48.31

115.38%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.72 BOB 20.57

68.60%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.40 BOB 4.81

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.31 BOB 3.73

58.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$0.80 BOB 9.56

210.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.33 BOB 27.94

60.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$0.75 BOB 8.98

152.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.82 BOB 9.85

71.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$0.74 BOB 8.91

118.92%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$0.53 BOB 6.37

322.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$3.62 BOB 43.33

448.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$1.13 BOB 13.52

207.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$3.29 BOB 39.39

245.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.66 BOB 19.95

74.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.54 BOB 6.49

218.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$0.45 BOB 5.44

404.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$0.64 BOB 7.68

232.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.59 BOB 7.06

149.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.41 BOB 4.88

246.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.51 BOB 6.08

115.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.61 BOB 7.26

-1.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$1.83 BOB 21.87

135.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$3.02 BOB 36.21

515.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.29 BOB 15.47

39.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.55 BOB 18.56

91.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.29 BOB 3.42

675.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$8.34 BOB 99.9

181.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.80 BOB 9.57

287.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.85 BOB 10.24

27.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$8.54 BOB 102

-54.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.47 BOB 5.65

204.26%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$8,590 BOB 102.9K

223.45%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$11.9K BOB 142.3K

127.11%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$22.92 BOB 275

357.24%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$14.35 BOB 172

-20.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$18.89 BOB 226

-7.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$8.49 BOB 102

540.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$12.58 BOB 151

-9.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$3.82 BOB 45.73

103.66%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$84.4 BOB 1,011

583.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$1,287 BOB 15.4K

799.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$15.96 BOB 191

298.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$17.82 BOB 213

63.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$28.75 BOB 344

234.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$35.05 BOB 420

156.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$513 BOB 6,148

42.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$331 BOB 3,962

51.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$678 BOB 8,128

213.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$557 BOB 6,678

124.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$211 BOB 2,522

141.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.15

-31.66%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Caranavi: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $513 in Caranavi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 141% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $9.00 in Caranavi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $91.0 per month, with Caranavi 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 Caranavi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caranavi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 141% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $513 in Caranavi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Caranavi – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $609 in Caranavi – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $609 in Caranavi versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caranavi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Caranavi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Caranavi 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Caranavi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Caranavi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.