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 $680 in Choloma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,141 in Choloma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,603 in Choloma.

Living in Phuket is roughly 86% more expensive than Choloma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Choloma 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$5.66 HNL 151

-19.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,533

$37.07 HNL 988

25.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿278

$7.47 HNL 199

13.39%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿99.5

$2.39 HNL 63.6

26.78%

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

$0.69 ฿22.65

$0.96 HNL 25.59

-28.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.03

$1.14 HNL 30.33

-67.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.8

$1.17 HNL 31.20

112.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$2.68 HNL 71.3

36.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.7

$1.40 HNL 37.38

55.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.5

$2.14 HNL 57.1

-11.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿72.3

$1.27 HNL 33.88

73.23%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿73.1

$2.13 HNL 56.8

4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿657

$6.13 HNL 164

226.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.76 HNL 100

-2.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿436

$7.86 HNL 209

68.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.85 HNL 76.0

13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.8

$1.50 HNL 39.89

13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.7

$1.51 HNL 40.38

58.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.3

$1.56 HNL 41.59

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.3

$1.60 HNL 42.67

-0.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.76

$1.40 HNL 37.44

5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.85

$0.88 HNL 23.55

17.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.99

$1.64 HNL 43.70

-68.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿140

$2.44 HNL 65.2

74.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿618

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.8

$1.36 HNL 36.15

29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.6

$1.86 HNL 49.45

48.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.73

$0.61 HNL 16.33

122.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿103

$4.35 HNL 116

-27.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿34.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿452

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.20

$1.02 HNL 27.21

31.37%

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

$27.7K ฿909.7K

$18.8K HNL 502.4K

46.85%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$19.0K HNL 507.1K

77.98%

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

$124 ฿4,062

$81.5 HNL 2,173

51.61%

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

$13.52 ฿444

$8.88 HNL 237

52.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿614

$41.20 HNL 1,098

-54.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,032

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿300

$5.85 HNL 156

56.24%

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

$703 ฿23.1K

$252 HNL 6,722

178.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿521.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,955

$45.63 HNL 1,216

30.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,153

$35.64 HNL 950

-1.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,789

$111 HNL 2,949

4.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,763

$102 HNL 2,727

-17.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.3K

$109 HNL 2,900

468.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.2K

$99.4 HNL 2,649

335.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.8K

$343 HNL 9,145

500.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.7K

$297 HNL 7,912

409.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿119.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿86.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.7K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Choloma: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $109 in Choloma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Choloma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $188 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 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,019 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: $619 in Phuket versus $109 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 $680 in Choloma – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $680 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 86% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.