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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,091 in Caranavi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,522 in Caranavi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $1,952 in Caranavi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 16% more expensive than in Caranavi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Caranavi 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿153

$2.43 BOB 26.56

86.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,565

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿292

$7.15 BOB 78.2

20.98%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$3.27 BOB 35.86

-5.50%

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

$0.68 ฿22.89

$0.75 BOB 8.17

-9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.44

$0.52 BOB 5.73

-28.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.6

$1.46 BOB 16.00

65.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿129

$3.37 BOB 36.93

13.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.5

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.3

$1.47 BOB 16.05

23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.5

$2.94 BOB 32.20

-25.85%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.4

$0.84 BOB 9.17

166.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿673

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿123

$1.92 BOB 21.06

89.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿458

$5.95 BOB 65.2

127.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$3.26 BOB 35.67

0.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.9

$1.75 BOB 19.19

-3.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.8

$1.42 BOB 15.59

64.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.4

$1.14 BOB 12.49

78.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.06 BOB 11.60

50.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.5

$0.72 BOB 7.88

106.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.17

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.04 BOB 11.37

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$3.26 BOB 35.71

36.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿629

$3.80 BOB 41.66

390.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.3

$2.15 BOB 23.55

-16.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.4

$4.44 BOB 48.59

-36.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.90

$0.52 BOB 5.75

173.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

$14.49 BOB 159

-21.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$1.42 BOB 15.58

117.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.19

$1.69 BOB 18.49

-38.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿460

$14.58 BOB 160

-6.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.23

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

$27.3K ฿920.7K

$14.6K BOB 160.1K

86.58%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$123 ฿4,157

$99.7 BOB 1,091

23.59%

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

$13.81 ฿466

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿625

$67.2 BOB 736

-72.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,037

$14.64 BOB 160

312.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

$21.79 BOB 239

-22.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿300

$6.34 BOB 69.5

40.22%

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

$687 ฿23.2K

$145 BOB 1,582

375.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿524.8K

$2,866 BOB 31.4K

442.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,945

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,170

$30.62 BOB 335

13.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,879

$50.8 BOB 556

126.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,865

$73.9 BOB 809

14.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

$883 BOB 9,668

-30.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿15.0K

$585 BOB 6,401

-24.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿69.1K

$1,149 BOB 12.6K

78.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.8K

$987 BOB 10.8K

52.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿17.0K

$232 BOB 2,541

116.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Last update for Caranavi: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $883 in Caranavi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 117% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 117% 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: $618 in Phuket versus $883 in Caranavi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 109% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,091 in Caranavi – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,091 in Caranavi versus $1,261 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 16% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.