Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Castro Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Castro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,091 in Castro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,648 in Castro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,206 in Castro, rent included.

Phuket costs about 13% more than Castro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Castro are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Castro 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$8.76 CLP 7,794

-47.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$44.24 CLP 39.3K

5.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$8.14 CLP 7,238

8.60%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.86 CLP 2,542

4.90%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.37 CLP 1,217

-45.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$1.01 CLP 901

-63.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$3.26 CLP 2,900

-25.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$4.16 CLP 3,698

-13.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.09 CLP 971

107.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.52 CLP 1,349

21.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.37 CLP 1,220

63.50%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$4.42 CLP 3,928

-47.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$10.21 CLP 9,082

92.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.25 CLP 3,782

-14.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$8.80 CLP 7,825

48.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.49 CLP 1,323

127.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$2.36 CLP 2,096

-30.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.65 CLP 1,465

46.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$2.10 CLP 1,866

-3.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.19 CLP 1,062

31.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.40 CLP 1,241

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.22 CLP 1,082

-16.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.23 CLP 1,092

-60.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$5.41 CLP 4,813

-17.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$8.17 CLP 7,261

131.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.56 CLP 1,386

14.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.24 CLP 1,995

22.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.75 CLP 670

86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.47 CLP 417

563.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.43 CLP 1,272

-5.59%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$19.6K CLP 17.5M

38.52%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.2K CLP 18.9M

55.08%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$131 CLP 116.6K

-4.71%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$13.28 CLP 11.8K

2.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$22.14 CLP 19.7K

-16.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$38.85 CLP 34.5K

58.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$21.64 CLP 19.2K

-22.18%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.60 CLP 4,978

64.11%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$427 CLP 380.0K

63.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$51.0 CLP 45.4K

13.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$30.26 CLP 26.9K

16.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$61.3 CLP 54.5K

84.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$81.5 CLP 72.5K

5.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$487 CLP 432.7K

26.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$370 CLP 328.9K

20.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$887 CLP 789.1K

130.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$619 CLP 550.7K

140.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$676 CLP 600.8K

-22.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.18

2.90%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Castro: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $487 in Castro. 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 29% higher in Castro, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $44.00 in Castro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $221 – making Castro 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 Castro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 13% more than Castro, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,636 in Castro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Castro, 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $1,091 in Castro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $427 in Castro. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castro, where all-in costs run around $1,091, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Castro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Castro costs $1,091 versus $1,232 in Phuket. 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 Castro. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.