Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Catacamas Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Catacamas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $582 in Catacamas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $953 in Catacamas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,324 in Catacamas, rent included.

Phuket costs about 117% more than Catacamas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Catacamas are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Catacamas 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$5.67 HNL 151

-17.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$37.98 HNL 1,012

19.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$7.89 HNL 210

6.84%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$2.26 HNL 60.3

29.65%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.00 HNL 26.72

-31.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.12 HNL 29.78

-66.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.16 HNL 31.03

107.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.65 HNL 70.7

40.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.45 HNL 38.73

53.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.17 HNL 57.7

-15.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.23 HNL 32.84

76.42%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.12 HNL 56.3

4.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.29 HNL 168

213.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.68 HNL 97.9

-1.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.14 HNL 217

66.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.97 HNL 79.1

10.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.50 HNL 39.94

7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.52 HNL 40.37

58.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.58 HNL 41.98

31.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.64 HNL 43.81

-6.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.37 HNL 36.46

8.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.88 HNL 23.36

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.63 HNL 43.49

-68.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.53 HNL 67.4

74.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.29 HNL 34.30

37.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$1.87 HNL 49.72

44.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$4.20 HNL 112

-28.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.06 HNL 28.33

28.30%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$19.0K HNL 506.3K

48.37%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$18.9K HNL 503.2K

74.15%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$81.4 HNL 2,167

49.56%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$9.05 HNL 241

49.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$40.38 HNL 1,075

-54.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.63 HNL 150

54.35%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$246 HNL 6,566

181.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$46.35 HNL 1,235

28.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$36.40 HNL 970

-4.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$107 HNL 2,848

7.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$102 HNL 2,710

-18.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-55.58%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Catacamas: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $38.00 in Catacamas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $190 – making Catacamas 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 Catacamas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 117%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $873 in Catacamas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $38.00 in Catacamas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Catacamas, where all-in costs run around $582, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Catacamas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Catacamas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Catacamas. 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.