Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cave Valley Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cave Valley

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Phuket versus $879 in Cave Valley.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,421 in Cave Valley.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Phuket versus $1,963 in Cave Valley.

Living in Phuket is roughly 42% more expensive than Cave Valley, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 7% lower, Cave Valley 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 ฿147

$7.63 JMD 1,207

-39.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.83 ฿1,500

$63.8 JMD 10.1K

-26.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿279

$8.64 JMD 1,367

0.69%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ฿93.7

$4.32 JMD 684

-32.41%

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

$0.68 ฿21.90

$1.36 JMD 215

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.69

$0.75 JMD 119

-46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿80.3

$2.54 JMD 402

-1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿122

$3.22 JMD 509

18.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ฿69.2

$4.44 JMD 702

-51.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 ฿60.3

$3.59 JMD 568

-47.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ฿69.1

$1.61 JMD 255

34.16%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿71.1

$3.44 JMD 544

-35.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.57 ฿627

$11.00 JMD 1,741

77.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ฿122

$6.55 JMD 1,036

-41.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 ฿430

$7.49 JMD 1,185

79.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ฿104

$6.11 JMD 966

-46.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.6

$3.04 JMD 482

-47.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿73.9

$4.29 JMD 679

-46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ฿65.9

$2.96 JMD 469

-30.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.4

$2.11 JMD 334

-23.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ฿46.23

$1.95 JMD 309

-26.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿32.99

$3.00 JMD 475

-65.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.38

$1.46 JMD 231

-67.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿144

$8.99 JMD 1,423

-49.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 ฿614

$11.25 JMD 1,780

70.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$2.87 JMD 454

-36.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ฿86.2

$3.11 JMD 493

-13.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 ฿44.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿99.5

$1.12 JMD 177

177.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.16

$3.14 JMD 497

-68.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.74 ฿440

$6.31 JMD 999

117.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.58

$1.25 JMD 197

4.00%

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

$27.4K ฿876.5K

$43.4K JMD 6.9M

-37.00%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

-1.59%

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

$125 ฿4,001

$165 JMD 26.1K

-24.40%

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

$13.74 ฿440

$22.19 JMD 3,511

-38.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 ฿596

$50.8 JMD 8,040

-63.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ฿1,940

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿549

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ฿289

$12.91 JMD 2,044

-30.21%

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

$698 ฿22.4K

$224 JMD 35.4K

211.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿516.2K

$2,525 JMD 399.6K

538.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ฿1,897

$26.03 JMD 4,120

127.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.86 ฿1,117

$25.38 JMD 4,017

37.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ฿3,659

$71.7 JMD 11.3K

59.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,749

$75.3 JMD 11.9K

14.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿19.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 ฿66.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿48.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 ฿120.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,694 ฿86.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.15

-41.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Last update for Cave Valley: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $0 in Cave Valley. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Phuket vs $64 in Cave Valley for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $352 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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 Cave Valley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Cave Valley differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $879 including rent). Cave Valley is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,870 in Phuket and $1,319 in Cave Valley to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,247 per month in Phuket versus $879 in Cave Valley – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $879 in Cave Valley versus $1,247 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cave Valley but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cave Valley the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Cave Valley are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cave Valley gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.