Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Castries Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Castries

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,366 in Castries, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,236 in Castries, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $3,107 in Castries, rent included.

Phuket is about 7% cheaper than Castries, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Castries is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$7.32 EC$19.76

-35.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$73.9 EC$200

-38.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.56 EC$20.41

11.51%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.80 EC$10.26

-22.89%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.08 EC$2.92

-36.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.99 EC$2.69

-62.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.67 EC$7.20

-9.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.37 EC$9.11

10.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$2.10 EC$5.66

6.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.72 EC$4.64

6.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.68 EC$4.54

29.17%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$4.27 EC$11.54

-48.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.03 EC$29.78

78.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$9.70 EC$26.19

-62.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.03 EC$27.09

34.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$7.36 EC$19.87

-55.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.68 EC$4.54

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$6.43 EC$17.36

-62.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$9.01 EC$24.34

-76.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$3.49 EC$9.43

-56.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.76 EC$4.74

-15.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$2.11 EC$5.70

-53.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.07 EC$2.89

-52.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$9.27 EC$25.02

-52.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$11.25 EC$30.38

72.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.08 EC$5.61

-14.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$4.25 EC$11.47

-36.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.12 EC$3.03

22.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$9.11 EC$24.60

-66.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$18.53 EC$50.0

-23.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.56 EC$4.22

-12.82%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$28.6K EC$77.1K

-1.25%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.9K EC$72.7K

22.23%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$108 EC$292

12.69%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$89.1 EC$241

-84.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$44.36 EC$120

-58.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$42.96 EC$116

40.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.63 EC$17.89

31.07%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$202 EC$546

243.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$77.5 EC$209

-23.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$52.5 EC$142

-33.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$105 EC$283

9.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$113 EC$305

-26.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$590 EC$1,593

3.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$395 EC$1,067

10.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$998 EC$2,694

109.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$716 EC$1,933

110.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$99.1 EC$268

3682.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$64.1 EC$173

3978.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,036 EC$2,797

-50.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.75

-31.23%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Castries: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $590 in Castries. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 104% higher in Castries, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $74.0 in Castries. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $368 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Castries: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castries costs about 8% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,049 in Castries. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $1,366 in Castries. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $202 in Castries. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Castries at $1,366. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castries it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $1,366 in Castries. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Castries makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.