Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chanthaburi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chanthaburi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $883 in Chanthaburi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,425 in Chanthaburi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,967 in Chanthaburi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 43% more expensive than Chanthaburi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Chanthaburi 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$1.20 ฿38.97

280.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$30.42 ฿991

53.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.28 ฿205

34.87%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.50 ฿48.82

102.00%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.53 ฿17.41

30.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.29 ฿9.54

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.80 ฿58.7

38.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.93 ฿128

-6.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.51 ฿49.31

44.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.38 ฿44.98

37.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.95 ฿30.89

131.58%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.20 ฿71.5

0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$18.09 ฿589

10.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.96 ฿96.5

23.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$9.55 ฿311

38.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.50 ฿114

-7.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.72 ฿56.1

-1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.32 ฿75.4

3.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.90 ฿61.8

9.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.18 ฿38.31

34.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.45 ฿47.16

2.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.98 ฿31.92

5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.49 ฿15.95

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.32 ฿141

-1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$15.42 ฿502

21.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.81 ฿59.1

-2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$3.39 ฿110

-18.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.96 ฿31.42

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$30.16 ฿982

-62.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.09 ฿35.66

188.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.05 ฿34.05

-0.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$5.98 ฿195

130.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.25 ฿40.76

7.20%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$37.5K ฿1.2M

-26.26%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$24.4K ฿794.3K

38.85%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$89.2 ฿2,905

38.55%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$3.73 ฿122

262.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$10.62 ฿346

75.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$48.85 ฿1,591

26.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$12.13 ฿395

42.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.62 ฿183

62.63%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$595 ฿19.4K

18.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$13.3K ฿434.5K

18.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$7.48 ฿243

694.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$36.71 ฿1,196

-4.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$69.7 ฿2,268

65.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$21.93 ฿714

283.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$429 ฿14.0K

44.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$287 ฿9,359

50.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$807 ฿26.3K

155.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$651 ฿21.2K

131.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,079 ฿67.7K

75.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,274 ฿41.5K

106.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.84

-8.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chanthaburi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $429 in Chanthaburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Chanthaburi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $249 per month, with Chanthaburi 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 Chanthaburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Chanthaburi differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $883 including rent). Chanthaburi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,325 in Chanthaburi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $429 in Chanthaburi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chanthaburi runs roughly 165% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $595 in Chanthaburi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $883 in Chanthaburi versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chanthaburi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Chanthaburi 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 Chanthaburi 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 Chanthaburi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.