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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $910 in Cha-am.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,464 in Cha-am.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,018 in Cha-am.

Living in Phuket is roughly 39% more expensive than in Cha-am, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Cha-am 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$3.14 ฿104

48.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$21.86 ฿722

47.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$7.43 ฿246

16.82%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.10 ฿69.3

38.10%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.70 ฿23.15

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.32 ฿10.74

53.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.40 ฿79.1

3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.97 ฿98.3

25.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.75 ฿57.7

8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.50 ฿49.68

-6.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.42 ฿46.88

14.08%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.88 ฿62.3

19.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$12.57 ฿415

57.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$2.65 ฿87.5

31.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$10.51 ฿347

8.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.59 ฿119

-19.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.25 ฿41.24

37.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.92 ฿63.4

18.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.87 ฿61.7

13.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.79 ฿59.3

-17.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.07 ฿35.46

32.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.19 ฿39.16

-7.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.43 ฿14.11

39.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.39 ฿145

-1.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$18.15 ฿600

2.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.71 ฿56.6

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$3.08 ฿102

-3.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.89 ฿29.48

152.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$22.37 ฿739

5.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.41 ฿46.46

119.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.15 ฿37.88

-6.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$3.62 ฿120

6.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.41 ฿46.47

1.42%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$16.8K ฿556.3K

65.02%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$27.2K ฿899.9K

-0.93%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$84.2 ฿2,782

24.45%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$11.67 ฿386

-2.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$23.03 ฿761

-23.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$23.92 ฿790

127.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$6.15 ฿203

86.02%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$6.65 ฿220

16.99%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$637 ฿21.1K

-9.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$10.9K ฿360.6K

6.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$52.1 ฿1,722

22.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$29.55 ฿976

-1.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$72.2 ฿2,387

33.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$55.2 ฿1,825

62.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$387 ฿12.8K

89.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$276 ฿9,128

81.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$754 ฿24.9K

182.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$660 ฿21.8K

89.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$371 ฿12.3K

36.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.96

-6.54%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cha-am: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $387 in Cha-am. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 37% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Cha-am for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 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 39% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $910 including rent). Cha-am is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 37% 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: $733 in Phuket versus $387 in Cha-am. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $910 in Cha-am – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cha-am runs roughly 5% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $910 in Cha-am versus $1,265 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 39% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.