Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chaves Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chaves

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,580 in Chaves, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Phuket vs $2,240 in Chaves, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,291 per month in Phuket vs $2,901 in Chaves, rent included.

Phuket is about 20% cheaper than Chaves, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Chaves is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿153

$7.99 €7.00

-43.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,565

$23.21 €20.33

99.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿292

$7.96 €6.97

8.67%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$1.71 €1.49

80.70%

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

$0.68 ฿22.89

$1.72 €1.50

-60.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.44

$0.56 €0.49

-33.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.6

$2.26 €1.98

7.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿129

$3.55 €3.11

7.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.5

$1.09 €0.95

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.3

$1.71 €1.50

6.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.5

$1.92 €1.68

13.54%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.4

$3.10 €2.71

-27.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿673

$11.37 €9.96

75.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿123

$8.04 €7.04

-54.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿458

$14.29 €12.52

-5.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$2.50 €2.19

31.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.9

$1.52 €1.33

11.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.8

$1.98 €1.73

17.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.4

$2.99 €2.62

-32.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.36 €1.19

17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.5

$1.88 €1.65

-20.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.17

$1.66 €1.45

-39.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.95 €0.83

-49.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$6.06 €5.31

-26.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿629

$3.88 €3.40

380.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.3

$1.15 €1.01

55.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.4

$2.59 €2.27

8.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.90

$2.32 €2.04

-38.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

$42.47 €37.21

-73.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$3.97 €3.47

-22.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.19

$1.24 €1.09

-16.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿460

$14.22 €12.46

-4.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.23

$1.91 €1.67

-31.41%

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

$27.3K ฿920.7K

$38.2K €33.5K

-28.62%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$38.8K €34.0K

-14.46%

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

$123 ฿4,157

$133 €116

-7.33%

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

$13.81 ฿466

$21.68 €18.99

-36.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿625

$42.80 €37.50

-56.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,037

$44.31 €38.82

36.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

$5.90 €5.17

184.75%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿300

$6.99 €6.12

27.18%

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

$687 ฿23.2K

$351 €308

95.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿524.8K

$8,181 €7,168

90.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,945

$74.9 €65.6

-23.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,170

$22.71 €19.90

52.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,879

$70.7 €61.9

62.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,865

$80.5 €70.5

5.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

$929 €814

-33.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿15.0K

$743 €651

-40.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿69.1K

$1,500 €1,314

36.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.8K

$1,141 €1,000

31.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.4K

$1,926 €1,687

85.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.7K

$1,472 €1,290

70.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿17.0K

$1,034 €906

-51.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.43

-1.84%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Last update for Chaves: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $618 in Phuket versus $929 in Chaves. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 106% higher in Chaves, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in Chaves. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $254 – making Chaves the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chaves: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chaves costs about 25% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Phuket and $2,370 in Chaves. 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.

Public transport costs about 275% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $687 per month in Phuket and $351 in Chaves. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Chaves at $1,580. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chaves it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,261 versus $1,580 in Chaves. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Chaves makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.