Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Charlotte Amalie

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $2,340 in Charlotte Amalie, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Charlotte Amalie

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$2,340

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Charlotte Amalie

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 Charlotte Amalie actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,207 per month in Phuket vs $2,340 in Charlotte Amalie, rent included.

Phuket $1,207
Charlotte Amalie $2,340

A couple spends around $2,037 per month in Phuket vs $4,152 in Charlotte Amalie, rent included.

Phuket $2,037
Charlotte Amalie $4,152

A family of three spends $2,867 per month in Phuket vs $5,964 in Charlotte Amalie, rent included.

Phuket $2,867
Charlotte Amalie $5,964

Phuket is about 48% cheaper than Charlotte Amalie, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 11% below the global median, while Charlotte Amalie is 73% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 ฿153

$25.03 $25.03

-81.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.48 ฿1,086

$122 $122

-73.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ฿286

$12.92 $12.92

-33.82%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.0

$7.37 $7.37

-63.09%

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

$0.94 ฿31.25

$2.95 $2.95

-68.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.39

$2.55 $2.55

-80.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

$5.66 $5.66

-54.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$7.14 $7.14

-46.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.1

$2.72 $2.72

-36.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.82

$8.91 $8.91

-83.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.0

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$7.19 $7.19

-69.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ฿640

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿110

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿372

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.5

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿76.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿71.3

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.1

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.55

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ฿37.44

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.91 $4.91

-13.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 ฿608

$20.12 $20.12

-9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.3

$7.19 $7.19

-61.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿74.1

$6.09 $6.09

-63.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ฿97.3

$19.69 $19.69

-85.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ฿33.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.85

$1.29 $1.29

15.50%

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

$26.7K ฿891.6K

$45.6K $45.6K

-41.52%

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

$26.7K ฿892.7K

$48.6K $48.6K

-45.02%

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

$99.4 ฿3,321

$292 $292

-65.96%

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

$11.28 ฿377

$59.0 $59.0

-80.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 ฿580

$98.9 $98.9

-82.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ฿1,747

$197 $197

-73.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ฿253

$12.12 $12.12

-37.54%

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

$558 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ฿2,102

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.58 ฿955

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ฿3,213

$88.6 $88.6

8.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 ฿2,943

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ฿24.4K

$1,225 $1,225

-40.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ฿15.4K

$993 $993

-53.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ฿70.0K

$3,538 $3,538

-40.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 ฿40.8K

$2,975 $2,975

-58.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,459 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 ฿83.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$493 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Charlotte Amalie: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$460 38.1%

Charlotte Amalie

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.2%

Charlotte Amalie

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$128 10.6%

Charlotte Amalie

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Charlotte Amalie

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10.1%

Charlotte Amalie

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$67 5.6%

Charlotte Amalie

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.2%

Charlotte Amalie

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $729 in Phuket versus $1,225 in Charlotte Amalie. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $122 in Charlotte Amalie. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Phuket vs $200 in Charlotte Amalie – so Charlotte Amalie wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇻🇮 Charlotte Amalie

🕒 Local time

08:43 8:43 AM

21:43 9:43 PM

11 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

14,477 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Charlotte Amalie 16,570 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Charlotte Amalie

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 Charlotte Amalie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Charlotte Amalie is pricier by about 94%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,811 per month in Phuket and $3,510 in Charlotte Amalie. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Charlotte Amalie – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $122 in Charlotte Amalie. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,207, than in Charlotte Amalie at $2,340. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Charlotte Amalie it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Charlotte Amalie makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.