Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chaguanas Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chaguanas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,318 in Chaguanas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $2,083 in Chaguanas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,847 in Chaguanas.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 5% less than in Chaguanas, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Chaguanas 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$10.33 TTD 68.8

-55.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$59.0 TTD 392

-44.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$8.12 TTD 54.1

9.61%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$3.23 TTD 21.46

-13.31%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$1.32 TTD 8.76

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.99 TTD 6.56

-50.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$1.83 TTD 12.20

30.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$2.55 TTD 16.98

45.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$2.50 TTD 16.64

-28.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$2.26 TTD 15.03

-36.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$2.19 TTD 14.61

-27.85%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$3.90 TTD 25.94

-45.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$7.42 TTD 49.37

168.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$7.96 TTD 53.0

-56.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$11.79 TTD 78.5

-3.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$2.95 TTD 19.61

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$3.06 TTD 20.39

-43.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$3.05 TTD 20.31

-23.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$5.27 TTD 35.06

-60.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$2.48 TTD 16.49

-40.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$2.17 TTD 14.42

-37.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$1.93 TTD 12.85

-43.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$1.32 TTD 8.81

-56.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.00 TTD 19.97

42.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$20.38 TTD 136

-9.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.91 TTD 12.73

-2.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$2.55 TTD 16.98

14.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$0.72 TTD 4.76

208.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$2.22 TTD 14.77

36.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$1.36 TTD 9.07

-21.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$15.03 TTD 100.0

-73.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.18 TTD 7.85

26.27%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$34.1K TTD 226.7K

-20.36%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$34.0K TTD 226.2K

-19.25%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$102 TTD 680

0.53%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$39.11 TTD 260

-71.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$52.5 TTD 349

-66.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$52.7 TTD 351

1.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$44.39 TTD 295

-74.77%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$8.89 TTD 59.2

-15.86%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$307 TTD 2,042

81.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$47.37 TTD 315

35.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$42.59 TTD 283

-31.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$103 TTD 687

-7.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$111 TTD 739

-18.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$468 TTD 3,112

56.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$376 TTD 2,503

32.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$969 TTD 6,445

115.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$767 TTD 5,105

57.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$792 TTD 5,272

-36.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chaguanas: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $468 in Chaguanas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chaguanas pays 57% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $59.0 in Chaguanas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $332 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 Chaguanas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Chaguanas. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Chaguanas. 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: $730 in Phuket versus $468 in Chaguanas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Chaguanas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,253 per month in Phuket versus $1,318 in Chaguanas – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,318 in Chaguanas, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Chaguanas. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,253 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Chaguanas 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 5% less than in Chaguanas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.