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 $1,104 in Caranavi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,535 in Caranavi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,966 in Caranavi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 15% more expensive than Caranavi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$2.51 BOB 17.20

87.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,489

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿277

$7.44 BOB 51.0

13.31%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.1

$3.29 BOB 22.58

-10.94%

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

$0.69 ฿22.50

$0.75 BOB 5.14

-8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.49 BOB 3.39

-24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.48 BOB 10.14

62.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.30 BOB 22.63

12.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.3

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.42 BOB 9.76

28.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$2.93 BOB 20.13

-25.94%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$0.83 BOB 5.71

166.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿648

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$1.95 BOB 13.35

86.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$5.90 BOB 40.49

129.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿108

$3.30 BOB 22.61

-0.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$1.69 BOB 11.58

-4.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.49 BOB 10.23

61.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.17 BOB 8.05

77.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.07 BOB 7.32

42.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.58

$0.71 BOB 4.86

108.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.44

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.74

$1.03 BOB 7.08

-50.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿145

$3.13 BOB 21.44

40.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$5.80 BOB 39.80

234.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$2.20 BOB 15.12

-19.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿89.0

$4.25 BOB 29.12

-36.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.99

$0.52 BOB 3.57

163.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$14.22 BOB 97.6

-19.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.1

$1.47 BOB 10.08

105.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.63

$1.79 BOB 12.28

-44.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿463

$14.43 BOB 99.0

-2.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.71

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

$28.2K ฿925.3K

$14.5K BOB 99.4K

94.65%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,993

$99.3 BOB 681

22.55%

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

$13.57 ฿445

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿601

$67.2 BOB 461

-72.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,976

$14.40 BOB 98.8

318.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

$21.67 BOB 149

-20.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$6.72 BOB 46.13

29.32%

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

$693 ฿22.8K

$148 BOB 1,013

369.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.7K

$2,847 BOB 19.5K

450.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,953

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,141

$29.97 BOB 206

16.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,760

$50.1 BOB 344

128.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,733

$71.2 BOB 489

16.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$866 BOB 5,942

-29.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$582 BOB 3,994

-24.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$1,143 BOB 7,842

83.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$960 BOB 6,584

57.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿123.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$358 BOB 2,453

42.07%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Caranavi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $866 in Caranavi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 42% 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 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 42% more on average, 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: $613 in Phuket versus $866 in Caranavi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 104% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,104 in Caranavi – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,104 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 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.