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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,093 in Chaves, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,672 in Chaves, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,250 in Chaves, rent included.

Phuket costs about 16% more than Chaves, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Chaves are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Chaves 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$8.21 €7.08

-43.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$23.66 €20.39

36.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$8.20 €7.07

5.85%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.69 €1.45

71.60%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.56 €1.34

-46.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.57 €0.49

-14.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.35 €2.02

5.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.89 €2.49

29.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.05 €0.90

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.19 €1.03

18.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.18 €1.01

37.29%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.20 €2.76

-30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$6.46 €5.57

207.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$6.73 €5.81

-48.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$10.71 €9.23

6.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.14 €0.98

154.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.14 €0.98

50.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.13 €0.97

100.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.17 €1.01

82.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.08 €1.79

-29.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.19 €1.03

19.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.47 €1.27

-25.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.82 €0.71

-26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$6.08 €5.24

-29.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$4.12 €3.55

351.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.17 €1.01

53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.14 €0.99

160.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.95 €0.82

136.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$28.99 €24.99

-18.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$4.11 €3.54

-24.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.67 €0.58

61.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$20.50 €17.67

-81.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$2.03 €1.75

-29.56%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$34.7K €29.9K

-19.86%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$40.4K €34.8K

-33.19%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$138 €119

-23.86%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$18.40 €15.86

-38.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$32.39 €27.92

-45.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$25.80 €22.24

110.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$5.85 €5.05

95.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$7.70 €6.63

1.04%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$231 €199

149.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$3,781 €3,260

206.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$75.2 €64.9

-15.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$23.70 €20.43

22.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$65.5 €56.5

46.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$94.8 €81.7

-5.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$513 €442

42.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$385 €332

30.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,007 €868

111.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$784 €676

59.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$1,949 €1,680

81.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,499 €1,292

74.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$1,063 €916

-52.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

85.67%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chaves: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $513 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 109% higher in Chaves, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $24.00 in Chaves. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $189 – 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

Phuket costs about 16% more than Chaves, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,639 in Chaves. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 23% less in Chaves. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $231 in Chaves. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chaves, where all-in costs run around $1,093, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Chaves it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chaves costs $1,093 versus $1,265 in Phuket. 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 Chaves. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.