Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chalcis

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $1,425 in Chalcis, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Chalcis, Greece
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Chalcis
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,425
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Chalcis

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Chalcis actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $1,425 in Chalcis.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Chalcis $1,425

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $2,178 in Chalcis.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Chalcis $2,178

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $2,931 in Chalcis.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Chalcis $2,931

Living in Phuket costs roughly 9% less than in Chalcis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 4% below, Chalcis is 5% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Chalcis
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿148
$11.26 €10.05
-61.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,090
$45.65 €40.72
-29.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿294
$8.89 €7.93
-2.14%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.9
$3.59 €3.20
-24.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.38
$2.23 €1.99
-58.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.85
$0.59 €0.53
-15.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿85.4
$3.42 €3.05
-26.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿122
$4.58 €4.09
-20.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Chalcis
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.7
$1.53 €1.36
13.73%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$1.38 €1.23
5.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.7
$2.21 €1.97
-32.13%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.3
$4.29 €3.82
-49.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿644
$12.33 €10.99
54.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿115
$9.99 €8.91
-65.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿368
$16.05 €14.32
-32.09%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿99.2
$1.98 €1.76
48.48%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$2.02 €1.80
-16.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿74.0
$1.67 €1.49
31.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.6
$2.11 €1.88
0.47%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿49.19
$1.15 €1.03
26.96%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿46.14
$1.16 €1.03
18.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.29
$0.86 €0.77
25.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.40
$0.82 €0.73
-32.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿149
$4.67 €4.17
-5.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿616
$7.39 €6.59
146.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.8
$1.79 €1.60
-1.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿97.2
$3.37 €3.00
-14.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Chalcis
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.82
$1.36 €1.21
6.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,851
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$4.37 €3.90
-65.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿26.17
$1.04 €0.92
-25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿129
$22.51 €20.08
-82.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿50.2
$2.08 €1.86
-28.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿906.7K
$28.2K €25.1K
-4.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿888.6K
$23.7K €21.1K
11.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Chalcis
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,299
$169 €151
-42.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿381
$25.58 €22.82
-55.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿580
$27.62 €24.63
-37.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Chalcis
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,305
$67.1 €59.8
1.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿368
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿251
$9.71 €8.66
-23.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Chalcis
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.9K
$281 €251
88.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿633.5K
$4,191 €3,739
348.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Chalcis
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,080
$83.2 €74.2
-25.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿953
$39.54 €35.27
-28.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,238
$81.8 €73.0
17.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,928
$110 €98.2
-21.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Chalcis
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.3K
$597 €533
20.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.2K
$483 €431
5.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.8K
$1,042 €929
87.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿47.1K
$883 €787
58.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿141.4K
$2,421 €2,159
73.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿111.3K
$1,984 €1,770
66.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Chalcis
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.6K
$1,029 €917
-52.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.38
27.17%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chalcis: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Chalcis
$483 5% $25
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Chalcis
$279 4.5% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Chalcis
$222 75.8% $96
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Chalcis
$142 15.4% $19
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Chalcis
$197 65.1% $78
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Chalcis
$87 4% $3.3
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Chalcis
$15 * 77.3% $51

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $597 in Chalcis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chalcis pays about 2.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $46 in Chalcis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $279 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇬🇷 Chalcis
🕒 Local time
10:35 10:35 AM
05:35 5:35 AM
5 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
59,125
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.72 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Chalcis 8,140 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Chalcis

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Chalcis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Chalcis?
Phuket is about 9% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, utilities, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Chalcis?
On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Chalcis?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $597 in Chalcis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Chalcis?
Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Chalcis. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Chalcis?
All in, you’ll spend $1,294 per month in Phuket versus $1,425 in Chalcis – Phuket is about 9% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Chalcis?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Phuket wins on affordability, Chalcis on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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