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 $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $465 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $771 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,077 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

Phuket costs about 169% 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 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$6.19 KGS 541

-26.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$21.51 KGS 1,880

114.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$5.79 KGS 507

52.68%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.07 KGS 181

47.83%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.67 KGS 58.7

8.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.33 KGS 28.62

21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.21 KGS 106

100.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$1.75 KGS 153

116.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.88 KGS 76.9

156.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.45 KGS 39.31

302.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.53 KGS 133

47.06%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.72 KGS 150

30.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$8.03 KGS 702

142.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.04 KGS 441

-27.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.97 KGS 696

63.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.03 KGS 89.9

213.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.83 KGS 160

-11.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$2.12 KGS 185

12.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.74 KGS 152

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.59 KGS 51.7

159.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.49 KGS 42.94

206.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.59 KGS 51.3

66.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.51 KGS 44.64

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$1.70 KGS 149

161.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.18 KGS 715

123.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.13 KGS 98.5

64.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.95 KGS 171

37.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.40 KGS 122

122.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$0.22 KGS 19.12

372.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$3.44 KGS 301

310.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$0.85 KGS 74.6

54.12%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$37.0K KGS 3.2M

-24.92%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$33.4K KGS 2.9M

-0.56%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$34.08 KGS 2,979

259.27%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$6.97 KGS 610

94.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$11.75 KGS 1,028

59.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.46 KGS 390

103.36%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$196 KGS 17.2K

260.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$4,465 KGS 390.4K

253.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$36.91 KGS 3,227

58.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$40.40 KGS 3,532

-12.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$96.0 KGS 8,391

20.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$101 KGS 8,829

-17.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cholpon-Ata: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $22.00 in Cholpon-Ata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $170 – 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: $1,250 in Phuket, $465 in Cholpon-Ata – roughly 169% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $697 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 $46.00 in Phuket and $22.00 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 $465, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $465 in Cholpon-Ata to $1,250 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.