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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $880 in Cave Valley.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,428 in Cave Valley.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $1,977 in Cave Valley.

Living in Phuket is roughly 43% more expensive than in Cave Valley, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Cave Valley 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿152

$7.37 JMD 1,160

-38.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,558

$63.1 JMD 9,937

-26.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿291

$8.54 JMD 1,345

1.29%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$4.36 JMD 686

-29.13%

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

$0.68 ฿22.79

$1.38 JMD 217

-50.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.38

$0.69 JMD 109

-46.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.2

$2.55 JMD 402

-5.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$3.04 JMD 479

25.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.2

$4.34 JMD 683

-49.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.1

$3.52 JMD 555

-48.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.2

$1.56 JMD 246

39.74%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.1

$3.43 JMD 540

-34.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿670

$11.15 JMD 1,755

78.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿122

$6.18 JMD 973

-41.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿456

$7.57 JMD 1,193

79.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$6.16 JMD 971

-46.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$3.02 JMD 476

-44.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.4

$4.29 JMD 676

-45.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$3.02 JMD 475

-32.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$2.05 JMD 323

-21.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$2.01 JMD 317

-25.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.02

$3.08 JMD 485

-67.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.02

$1.51 JMD 237

-68.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$8.96 JMD 1,411

-50.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿626

$11.15 JMD 1,756

67.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.0

$2.81 JMD 442

-36.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.0

$3.06 JMD 481

-8.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$1.13 JMD 178

173.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.03

$3.22 JMD 507

-67.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿458

$6.11 JMD 961

123.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.03

$1.27 JMD 200

3.15%

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

$27.3K ฿916.6K

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

-37.55%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-1.48%

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

$123 ฿4,138

$161 JMD 25.3K

-23.35%

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

$13.81 ฿464

$22.42 JMD 3,531

-38.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿622

$51.5 JMD 8,107

-64.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,028

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿564

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿299

$13.12 JMD 2,066

-32.24%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

$229 JMD 36.0K

200.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿522.5K

$2,522 JMD 397.2K

516.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,936

$26.14 JMD 4,116

120.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,165

$25.18 JMD 3,965

37.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,861

$70.3 JMD 11.1K

63.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,853

$75.4 JMD 11.9K

12.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿68.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿119.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Cave Valley: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $63.0 in Cave Valley for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $350 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 43% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $880 including rent). Cave Valley is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,891 in Phuket and $1,320 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 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $880 in Cave Valley – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $880 in Cave Valley versus $1,261 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 43% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.