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 $507 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $844 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,180 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

Phuket costs about 149% more than Cholpon-Ata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Cholpon-Ata are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Cholpon-Ata 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$6.96 KGS 609

-33.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$28.04 KGS 2,451

14.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$5.98 KGS 523

45.15%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.47 KGS 216

17.41%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.71 KGS 62.0

18.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.41 KGS 35.64

19.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.35 KGS 118

83.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.00 KGS 175

86.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.03 KGS 89.8

83.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.41 KGS 36.15

243.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.74 KGS 152

-6.90%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.69 KGS 148

32.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$7.47 KGS 653

165.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$4.49 KGS 393

-22.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$8.73 KGS 764

30.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.35 KGS 118

114.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.83 KGS 160

-6.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.08 KGS 182

9.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.55 KGS 136

37.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.59 KGS 51.5

149.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.51 KGS 44.86

178.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.75 KGS 65.3

46.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.60 KGS 52.9

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.10 KGS 184

105.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$9.38 KGS 820

98.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.43 KGS 125

25.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.03 KGS 177

46.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.24 KGS 21.03

837.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.83 KGS 72.7

273.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.48 KGS 41.96

125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$5.81 KGS 508

-33.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.96 KGS 83.6

48.96%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$30.5K KGS 2.7M

-8.94%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$33.4K KGS 2.9M

-19.27%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$50.6 KGS 4,425

107.07%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$2.84 KGS 248

301.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$11.85 KGS 1,036

48.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$5.70 KGS 498

36.49%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$221 KGS 19.3K

161.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$7,751 KGS 677.6K

49.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$55.8 KGS 4,879

14.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$42.51 KGS 3,717

-31.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$89.6 KGS 7,835

7.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$89.9 KGS 7,863

0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

20.22

-72.45%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cholpon-Ata: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $28.00 in Cholpon-Ata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $176 – 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, $507 in Cholpon-Ata – roughly 149% 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 $761 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $28.00 in Cholpon-Ata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% 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 $507, 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 $507 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.