Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cholpon-Ata Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cholpon-Ata

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $456 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $765 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,074 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

Phuket costs about 177% more than Cholpon-Ata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Cholpon-Ata are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Cholpon-Ata 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$6.21 KGS 543

-24.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$21.41 KGS 1,871

111.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.81 KGS 508

45.09%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.08 KGS 182

40.87%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.63 KGS 55.5

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.35 KGS 30.94

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.18 KGS 103

104.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$1.74 KGS 152

113.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.95 KGS 83.1

134.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.48 KGS 41.92

281.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.54 KGS 135

40.91%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.76 KGS 154

25.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$8.30 KGS 726

137.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.98 KGS 436

-27.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.12 KGS 710

66.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.08 KGS 94.4

203.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.90 KGS 166

-15.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.09 KGS 183

15.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.65 KGS 144

26.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.55 KGS 47.93

178.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.50 KGS 43.62

196.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.55 KGS 48.01

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.51 KGS 44.30

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.69 KGS 148

160.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$8.22 KGS 719

135.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.19 KGS 104

49.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.95 KGS 170

38.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.39 KGS 122

117.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.22 KGS 19.15

350.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$3.34 KGS 292

322.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.85 KGS 74.4

60.00%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$37.3K KGS 3.3M

-24.29%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

-1.91%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$34.45 KGS 3,012

253.27%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$7.07 KGS 618

91.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$11.74 KGS 1,027

55.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.54 KGS 397

91.41%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$197 KGS 17.2K

252.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$4,509 KGS 394.2K

247.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$37.44 KGS 3,273

59.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$39.57 KGS 3,459

-12.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$96.3 KGS 8,420

18.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$103 KGS 8,989

-18.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

20.11

-73.50%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cholpon-Ata: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $21.00 in Cholpon-Ata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $172 – making Cholpon-Ata 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 Cholpon-Ata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $456 in Cholpon-Ata – roughly 177% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $684 in Cholpon-Ata. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $21.00 in Cholpon-Ata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 70% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cholpon-Ata, where all-in costs run around $456, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Cholpon-Ata it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $456 in Cholpon-Ata to $1,265 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Cholpon-Ata. 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.