Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Choloma Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Choloma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $699 in Choloma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,166 in Choloma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $1,633 in Choloma.

Living in Phuket is roughly 80% more expensive than in Choloma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Choloma 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿153

$5.78 HNL 155

-21.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,562

$37.84 HNL 1,012

22.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿291

$7.82 HNL 209

10.61%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$2.35 HNL 62.8

31.49%

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

$0.68 ฿22.85

$0.96 HNL 25.63

-29.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.41

$1.14 HNL 30.46

-67.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.4

$1.14 HNL 30.46

112.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$2.65 HNL 70.9

43.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.4

$1.39 HNL 37.17

56.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.2

$2.09 HNL 56.0

-12.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.3

$1.23 HNL 33.02

77.24%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.3

$2.04 HNL 54.7

9.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿671

$6.14 HNL 164

224.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿123

$3.74 HNL 100

-2.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿457

$8.16 HNL 218

66.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$2.87 HNL 76.7

14.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.50 HNL 40.09

12.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.6

$1.47 HNL 39.22

58.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.3

$1.51 HNL 40.42

34.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.59 HNL 42.60

0.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.4

$1.35 HNL 35.98

10.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.11

$0.85 HNL 22.70

18.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.65 HNL 44.00

-70.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$2.44 HNL 65.3

82.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿628

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.2

$1.34 HNL 35.77

33.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.2

$1.84 HNL 49.09

52.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.81

$0.57 HNL 15.36

149.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$4.31 HNL 115

-28.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.13

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿459

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.15

$1.02 HNL 27.37

28.43%

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

$27.3K ฿919.1K

$19.1K HNL 509.8K

43.12%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$19.5K HNL 522.4K

70.10%

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

$123 ฿4,149

$83.8 HNL 2,241

46.97%

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

$13.81 ฿465

$9.09 HNL 243

51.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿624

$41.29 HNL 1,105

-55.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿566

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿299

$5.73 HNL 153

55.15%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

$252 HNL 6,736

172.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿523.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,942

$45.43 HNL 1,215

26.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,168

$36.56 HNL 978

-5.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,872

$109 HNL 2,917

5.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,860

$104 HNL 2,787

-18.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

$108 HNL 2,897

470.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

$99.3 HNL 2,656

346.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿69.0K

$350 HNL 9,350

485.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.7K

$297 HNL 7,943

407.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-55.58%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Last update for Choloma: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $108 in Choloma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Choloma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $187 per month, with Choloma 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 Choloma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Choloma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,891 in Phuket and $1,049 in Choloma 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: $618 in Phuket versus $108 in Choloma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $699 in Choloma – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $699 in Choloma versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Choloma but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Choloma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Choloma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Choloma 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 Choloma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.