🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,806 in Carrefour.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $2,675 in Carrefour.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $3,545 in Carrefour.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 30% less than in Carrefour, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Carrefour is 36% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$15.08HTG 1,968
-70.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,521
$89.2HTG 11.6K
-48.86%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿292
$7.11HTG 928
23.21%
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.0
$1.67HTG 217
77.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.90
$1.56HTG 204
-55.77%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.04
$1.53HTG 200
-74.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.4
$5.03HTG 657
-49.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
$7.18HTG 936
-47.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.6
$1.49HTG 195
44.30%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.6
$2.26HTG 294
-19.47%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿72.9
$3.12HTG 407
-30.13%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.0
$2.70HTG 352
-16.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿667
$7.80HTG 1,017
156.41%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$6.10HTG 795
-40.49%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿452
$11.98HTG 1,564
13.19%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿108
$1.88HTG 245
72.34%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.6
$2.52HTG 328
-34.92%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿77.8
$0.91HTG 118
156.04%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.1
$2.35HTG 307
-11.91%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$6.06HTG 791
-74.42%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.54
$0.98HTG 128
48.98%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.86
$0.65HTG 85.1
50.77%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$0.99HTG 129
-51.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿145
$3.95HTG 515
10.13%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿620
$11.53HTG 1,505
61.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿61.9
$0.86HTG 113
116.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.6
$1.49HTG 194
77.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.28
$0.21HTG 26.91
576.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿386
$19.88HTG 2,594
-41.80%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$0.39HTG 51.0
712.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.41
$0.41HTG 54.0
151.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿463
$20.11HTG 2,624
-30.93%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.84
$1.23HTG 161
8.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿927.1K
$40.5KHTG 5.3M
-31.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$44.2KHTG 5.8M
-24.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,105
$101HTG 13.1K
22.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿459
$49.27HTG 6,429
-72.05%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿611
$163HTG 21.3K
-88.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,025
$70.3HTG 9,169
-13.63%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿573
$20.07HTG 2,619
-14.50%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿296
$10.16HTG 1,326
-12.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿22.9K
$99.5HTG 13.0K
591.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿526.4K
$6,878HTG 897.5K
129.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,978
$79.2HTG 10.3K
-25.15%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,157
$76.1HTG 9,931
-54.42%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,843
$120HTG 15.7K
-4.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,794
$149HTG 19.4K
-43.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.7K
$873HTG 113.9K
-28.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$729HTG 95.2K
-38.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿67.8K
$1,284HTG 167.5K
58.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿49.9K
$1,086HTG 141.7K
37.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.3K
$773HTG 100.9K
346.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.4K
$590HTG 77.0K
328.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$1,425HTG 185.9K
-65.35%
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: July 27, 2026
Last update for Carrefour: July 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $873 in Carrefour. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Carrefour pays 189% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $89.0 in Carrefour. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $256, 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 in Carrefour?
Phuket and Carrefour differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $1,806 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, salaries run 189% lower in Carrefour. 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 in Carrefour?
Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $873 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 $688 in Phuket versus $99.5 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 14% 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 $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,806 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 43% less than in Carrefour. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.