Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cha-am Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cha-am

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $923 in Cha-am.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,404 in Cha-am.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,884 in Cha-am.

Living in Phuket is roughly 35% more expensive than in Cha-am, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Cha-am 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.15 ฿106

44.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$21.45 ฿721

115.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.72 ฿293

1.38%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.09 ฿70.4

46.41%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.64 ฿21.61

14.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.42 ฿14.00

-4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.43 ฿81.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.77 ฿127

0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.76 ฿59.0

28.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.37 ฿45.99

32.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.26 ฿42.34

78.57%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.84 ฿61.8

22.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$13.58 ฿457

43.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.41 ฿115

7.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$10.75 ฿362

21.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.01 ฿101

7.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.34 ฿44.98

20.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.87 ฿62.9

27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.50 ฿50.4

35.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.69 ฿56.7

-9.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.21 ฿40.68

23.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.21 ฿40.76

-19.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.42 ฿14.09

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.71 ฿159

-5.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$16.64 ฿560

10.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.84 ฿61.9

1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.55 ฿119

-24.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.90 ฿30.25

56.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.10 ฿36.88

182.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.76 ฿25.44

36.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$3.43 ฿115

311.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.29 ฿43.54

1.55%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$19.9K ฿668.1K

40.01%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$20.7K ฿697.4K

60.18%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$73.2 ฿2,460

67.36%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$12.91 ฿434

5.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$18.12 ฿609

3.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$24.45 ฿822

147.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$12.42 ฿418

36.71%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.67 ฿258

18.25%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$136 ฿4,577

419.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$9,318 ฿313.4K

69.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$29.85 ฿1,004

96.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$19.69 ฿662

79.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$61.1 ฿2,056

88.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$43.22 ฿1,453

93.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$455 ฿15.3K

37.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$374 ฿12.6K

18.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$776 ฿26.1K

162.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$690 ฿23.2K

116.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$357 ฿12.0K

40.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cha-am: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $455 in Cha-am. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 40% 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 $21.00 in Cha-am for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $239 per month, with Cha-am 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 Cha-am: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Cha-am differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $923 including rent). Cha-am is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 40% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $455 in Cha-am. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $136 in Cha-am. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cha-am – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $923 in Cha-am versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cha-am but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cha-am 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 Cha-am 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 Cha-am gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.