🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,824 in Carrefour.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,728 in Carrefour.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $3,633 in Carrefour.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 32% less than in Carrefour, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Carrefour is 33% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$15.18HTG 1,978
-70.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,077
$91.1HTG 11.9K
-64.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿298
$6.90HTG 899
29.42%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.6
$1.67HTG 217
73.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.38
$1.51HTG 197
-41.72%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$1.52HTG 198
-68.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.5
$4.97HTG 647
-52.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$7.12HTG 928
-47.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.3
$1.50HTG 195
24.67%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.94
$2.27HTG 296
-35.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$3.02HTG 393
-48.68%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.1
$2.69HTG 350
-21.93%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿654
$7.55HTG 984
159.47%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$5.83HTG 759
-41.34%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿380
$11.74HTG 1,529
-3.07%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.6
$1.86HTG 243
60.22%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.2
$2.45HTG 319
-31.43%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.7
$0.93HTG 121
137.63%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.1
$2.27HTG 296
-4.85%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.9
$6.01HTG 783
-74.71%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.67
$1.02HTG 133
31.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.67
$0.64HTG 83.0
76.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$1.02HTG 132
-46.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$3.89HTG 507
9.51%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿637
$11.57HTG 1,507
65.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.4
$0.87HTG 113
104.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.9
$1.50HTG 195
85.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.4
$0.23HTG 29.92
869.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿759
$19.74HTG 2,571
15.20%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$0.36HTG 47.46
741.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.15
$0.42HTG 54.4
142.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$19.99HTG 2,604
-80.54%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.77
$1.27HTG 166
17.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿887.3K
$40.2KHTG 5.2M
-33.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿902.2K
$44.3KHTG 5.8M
-38.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,420
$100HTG 13.1K
1.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿378
$49.28HTG 6,421
-77.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿581
$167HTG 21.7K
-89.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,738
$69.3HTG 9,025
-24.83%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿370
$19.94HTG 2,597
-44.48%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿257
$9.89HTG 1,289
-22.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$99.4HTG 13.0K
463.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿384.1K
$6,988HTG 910.4K
64.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,104
$79.3HTG 10.3K
-20.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿986
$76.0HTG 9,895
-61.14%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,272
$120HTG 15.6K
-18.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,954
$150HTG 19.5K
-40.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$892HTG 116.2K
-17.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$737HTG 96.1K
-34.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.3K
$1,291HTG 168.2K
63.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.9K
$1,085HTG 141.3K
13.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.7K
$759HTG 98.8K
376.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.9K
$593HTG 77.2K
339.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Carrefour
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$1,377HTG 179.4K
-64.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
15
-62.87%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Carrefour: September 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $892 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $91.0 in Carrefour. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $252, 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 48% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $1,824 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 179% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $892 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 $561 in Phuket versus $99.4 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 9% 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 $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,824 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 48% less than in Carrefour. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.