Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cayey Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cayey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,244 in Cayey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $3,438 in Cayey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $4,633 in Cayey.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 44% less than in Cayey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Cayey is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$18.96 $18.96

-76.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$80.1 $80.1

-43.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$9.37 $9.37

-6.51%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$3.65 $3.65

-18.63%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.69 $1.69

-59.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.43 $1.43

-72.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$3.08 $3.08

-17.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$4.53 $4.53

-17.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$2.47 $2.47

-12.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$3.54 $3.54

-48.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.26 $2.26

-3.54%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$6.03 $6.03

-62.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$8.79 $8.79

127.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$8.43 $8.43

-56.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$12.83 $12.83

5.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$5.76 $5.76

-43.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.70 $2.70

-39.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$3.92 $3.92

-40.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$4.01 $4.01

-48.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$4.05 $4.05

-61.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$2.96 $2.96

-50.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$3.11 $3.11

-68.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$2.01 $2.01

-76.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$11.98 $11.98

-63.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$15.84 $15.84

17.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.52 $2.52

-26.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.18 $3.18

-16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.49 $1.49

-30.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$15.21 $15.21

-8.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.93 $0.93

44.09%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$36.4K $36.4K

-23.55%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$26.7K $26.7K

25.24%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$487 $487

-74.72%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$77.6 $77.6

-82.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$72.4 $72.4

-74.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$11.90 $11.90

-25.46%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$473 $473

45.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$10.5K $10.5K

50.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$45.99 $45.99

28.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$56.5 $56.5

-38.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$92.3 $92.3

24.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$104 $104

-19.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$1,221 $1,221

-49.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$814 $814

-45.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$1,764 $1,764

15.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$1,804 $1,804

-17.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$3,659 $3,659

-86.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.71

-6.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cayey: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $1,221 in Cayey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cayey pays 641% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $80.0 in Cayey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $386 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 Cayey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Cayey differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $2,244 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 641% lower in Cayey. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $1,221 in Cayey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $473 in Cayey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $80.0 in Cayey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,244 in Cayey, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Cayey. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket 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 Cayey 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Cayey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.