🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,788 in Carrefour.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,715 in Carrefour.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $3,643 in Carrefour.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 29% less than in Carrefour, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Carrefour is 33% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$15.12HTG 1,972
-69.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$89.8HTG 11.7K
-48.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$7.18HTG 936
17.97%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$1.68HTG 220
80.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$1.56HTG 204
-55.77%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$1.51HTG 198
-75.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$4.93HTG 643
-49.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$7.09HTG 925
-48.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.49HTG 194
46.31%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$2.37HTG 309
-19.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$3.00HTG 392
-26.67%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$2.81HTG 367
-21.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$7.48HTG 976
167.25%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$5.90HTG 769
-37.97%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$11.67HTG 1,522
13.54%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$1.83HTG 239
76.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$2.44HTG 319
-30.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$0.90HTG 118
165.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$2.28HTG 297
-8.77%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$6.22HTG 812
-74.44%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$0.98HTG 128
51.02%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$0.64HTG 83.9
60.94%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$0.98HTG 128
-46.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$4.05HTG 529
4.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$11.35HTG 1,480
65.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$0.95HTG 124
85.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$1.50HTG 196
84.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$0.18HTG 23.95
655.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
$19.98HTG 2,606
-43.14%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$0.37HTG 47.88
748.65%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$0.41HTG 53.8
153.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$19.91HTG 2,597
-30.84%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$1.28HTG 167
4.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$40.1KHTG 5.2M
-30.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$45.3KHTG 5.9M
-25.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$99.7HTG 13.0K
23.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$50.9HTG 6,636
-73.42%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$165HTG 21.5K
-88.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$71.1HTG 9,270
-13.02%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
$20.11HTG 2,622
-14.22%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$10.12HTG 1,320
-9.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$99.2HTG 12.9K
608.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$6,973HTG 909.5K
127.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$80.7HTG 10.5K
-26.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$75.2HTG 9,807
-53.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$119HTG 15.6K
-3.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$148HTG 19.3K
-43.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$887HTG 115.8K
-30.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$734HTG 95.7K
-41.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$1,301HTG 169.7K
58.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$1,066HTG 139.0K
41.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
$762HTG 99.4K
378.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
$603HTG 78.7K
335.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
$1,413HTG 184.3K
-64.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
15
-64.47%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Carrefour: June 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $887 in Carrefour. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Carrefour pays 179% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $90.0 in Carrefour. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $253, with Carrefour cheaper for home cooking.
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 Carrefour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Carrefour?
Phuket and Carrefour differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,788 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Carrefour earns 179% 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 Carrefour?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $887 in Carrefour. 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 Carrefour?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $99.2 in Carrefour. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Carrefour pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,788 in Carrefour, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Carrefour. 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 Carrefour?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Carrefour safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Carrefour 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 Carrefour?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Carrefour. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.