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: $1,270 in Phuket versus $1,117 in Caranavi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $1,499 in Caranavi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $1,882 in Caranavi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 14% more expensive than Caranavi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Caranavi 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$2.48 BOB 17.22

87.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$7.20 BOB 49.88

20.56%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$3.33 BOB 23.06

-11.41%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$0.71 BOB 4.94

-1.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$0.54 BOB 3.71

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$1.43 BOB 9.89

76.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$3.19 BOB 22.13

18.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$1.43 BOB 9.88

25.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$2.98 BOB 20.66

-26.51%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$0.84 BOB 5.81

175.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$1.93 BOB 13.36

95.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$5.69 BOB 39.44

132.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$3.26 BOB 22.58

2.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.72 BOB 11.89

-4.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$1.46 BOB 10.14

56.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$1.18 BOB 8.15

68.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$1.07 BOB 7.39

42.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$0.71 BOB 4.89

112.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$1.04 BOB 7.22

-50.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$3.14 BOB 21.77

40.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$2.12 BOB 14.70

-15.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$4.46 BOB 30.89

-39.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$0.50 BOB 3.46

186.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

$14.69 BOB 102

-20.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$1.48 BOB 10.27

105.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$1.78 BOB 12.35

-41.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$14.73 BOB 102

-7.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$14.4K BOB 99.7K

93.99%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

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

$123 ฿3,962

$99.4 BOB 689

23.76%

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

$13.82 ฿445

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$66.8 BOB 463

-71.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$14.34 BOB 99.4

326.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

$21.43 BOB 149

-21.56%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$6.36 BOB 44.07

39.47%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$144 BOB 998

383.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$2,863 BOB 19.8K

460.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$30.15 BOB 209

15.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$50.4 BOB 349

124.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$73.7 BOB 511

15.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$887 BOB 6,147

-30.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$573 BOB 3,973

-21.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

$1,146 BOB 7,941

81.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$986 BOB 6,832

51.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

$365 BOB 2,529

46.22%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Caranavi: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $887 in Caranavi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 46% 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: $46 in Phuket vs $0 in Caranavi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $131 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. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 46% 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: $615 in Phuket versus $887 in Caranavi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 122% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,270 per month in Phuket versus $1,117 in Caranavi – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,117 in Caranavi versus $1,270 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 14% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.