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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,293 in Cayey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $3,473 in Cayey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $4,653 in Cayey.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 46% less than in Cayey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Cayey is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$19.13 $19.13

-75.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$82.0 $82.0

-42.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$9.68 $9.68

-8.68%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$3.57 $3.57

-15.97%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.78 $1.78

-58.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$1.45 $1.45

-74.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.93 $2.93

-16.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$4.63 $4.63

-22.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$2.49 $2.49

-9.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$3.47 $3.47

-46.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.16 $2.16

3.70%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$6.06 $6.06

-61.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$8.58 $8.58

129.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$8.38 $8.38

-56.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$12.64 $12.64

3.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$5.85 $5.85

-42.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$2.65 $2.65

-38.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$3.98 $3.98

-39.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$4.08 $4.08

-50.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$4.10 $4.10

-61.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$2.96 $2.96

-49.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$3.09 $3.09

-66.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.93 $1.93

-74.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$12.15 $12.15

-63.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$15.44 $15.44

22.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.48 $2.48

-28.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.22 $3.22

-14.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.49 $1.49

-32.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$15.19 $15.19

-7.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.00 $1.00

35.00%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$36.0K $36.0K

-24.56%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.0K $27.0K

22.07%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$491 $491

-74.56%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$80.0 $80.0

-83.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$75.2 $75.2

-75.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$12.18 $12.18

-24.55%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$475 $475

47.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$10.5K $10.5K

48.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$45.11 $45.11

28.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$56.0 $56.0

-37.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$92.2 $92.2

22.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$106 $106

-18.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$1,218 $1,218

-49.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$812 $812

-45.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$1,818 $1,818

12.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$1,811 $1,811

-17.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$3,703 $3,703

-85.85%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cayey: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $1,218 in Cayey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cayey pays 607% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $82.0 in Cayey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $383 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 86% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $2,293 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Cayey earns 607% less. 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: $616 in Phuket versus $1,218 in Cayey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $475 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 $47.00 versus $82.0 in Cayey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,293 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 86% less than in Cayey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.