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 $871 in Cave Valley.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,435 in Cave Valley.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,999 in Cave Valley.

Living in Phuket is roughly 45% more expensive than Cave Valley, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Cave Valley 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$7.53 JMD 1,185

-39.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,535

$63.2 JMD 9,933

-26.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿279

$8.63 JMD 1,357

-1.85%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿99.7

$4.35 JMD 685

-30.34%

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

$0.69 ฿22.69

$1.30 JMD 205

-46.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.70 JMD 110

-47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.9

$2.53 JMD 398

-1.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.18 JMD 500

15.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.8

$4.19 JMD 659

-47.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.6

$3.64 JMD 572

-47.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿72.4

$1.61 JMD 253

36.65%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿73.2

$3.53 JMD 555

-37.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿658

$11.18 JMD 1,758

78.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿121

$6.29 JMD 989

-41.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿436

$7.77 JMD 1,222

70.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿106

$6.05 JMD 951

-46.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.9

$3.16 JMD 497

-46.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.8

$4.32 JMD 679

-44.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$2.92 JMD 460

-28.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.4

$2.03 JMD 320

-21.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.83

$2.03 JMD 319

-27.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.90

$3.10 JMD 487

-66.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.01

$1.51 JMD 237

-65.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿140

$8.83 JMD 1,389

-51.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿618

$11.29 JMD 1,776

66.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.89 JMD 455

-39.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.8

$3.12 JMD 490

-11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿103

$1.12 JMD 175

180.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿34.10

$3.12 JMD 491

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿453

$6.15 JMD 967

123.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.26

$1.24 JMD 196

8.06%

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

$27.7K ฿911.1K

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

-36.23%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

2.71%

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

$124 ฿4,069

$162 JMD 25.5K

-23.68%

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

$13.52 ฿445

$21.78 JMD 3,426

-37.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿615

$50.3 JMD 7,910

-62.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿568

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿301

$12.95 JMD 2,037

-29.42%

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

$703 ฿23.1K

$223 JMD 35.1K

214.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿522.5K

$2,434 JMD 382.9K

551.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,958

$25.81 JMD 4,059

130.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,154

$25.39 JMD 3,994

38.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,795

$70.3 JMD 11.1K

63.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,767

$75.5 JMD 11.9K

11.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿120.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿86.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.7K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cave Valley: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $63.0 in Cave Valley for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 45% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $871 including rent). Cave Valley is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,307 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 $871 in Cave Valley – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $871 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 45% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.