Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cimislia Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cimislia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $846 in Cimislia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,264 in Cimislia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,683 in Cimislia.

Living in Phuket is roughly 45% more expensive than in Cimislia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Cimislia 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$6.91 MDL 119

-34.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$23.31 MDL 403

100.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$7.73 MDL 134

9.83%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$1.76 MDL 30.42

75.00%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$0.97 MDL 16.74

-29.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$0.70 MDL 12.03

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

$1.15 MDL 19.88

111.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.40 MDL 41.55

51.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$1.07 MDL 18.46

104.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$0.40 MDL 6.88

352.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$1.51 MDL 26.09

47.68%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$2.08 MDL 35.93

7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$8.80 MDL 152

122.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.04 MDL 69.8

-7.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

$9.01 MDL 156

49.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$0.57 MDL 9.82

489.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.74 MDL 30.06

-6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.47 MDL 25.41

63.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$2.04 MDL 35.21

-2.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$0.60 MDL 10.35

155.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$0.59 MDL 10.25

145.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$1.29 MDL 22.30

-21.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$0.89 MDL 15.40

-46.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.17 MDL 54.7

34.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

$4.50 MDL 77.7

324.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.18 MDL 20.47

55.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

$1.89 MDL 32.70

44.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

$0.30 MDL 5.19

373.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

$1.99 MDL 34.44

50.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$0.27 MDL 4.69

288.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

$5.41 MDL 93.6

156.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$1.39 MDL 23.99

-7.19%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

$32.2K MDL 555.7K

-12.82%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$30.7K MDL 530.3K

9.16%

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

$122 ฿3,997

$173 MDL 2,998

-29.68%

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

$13.93 ฿457

$7.71 MDL 133

80.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$10.98 MDL 190

71.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

$17.41 MDL 301

251.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

$7.56 MDL 131

17.59%

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

$691 ฿22.7K

$395 MDL 6,832

74.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

$7,495 MDL 129.5K

115.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

$66.9 MDL 1,155

-13.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

$52.9 MDL 915

-33.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

$114 MDL 1,978

-0.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

$123 MDL 2,128

-32.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

$235 MDL 4,057

158.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

$173 MDL 2,989

159.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

$346 MDL 5,978

486.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

$286 MDL 4,941

422.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

$749 MDL 12.9K

378.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

$687 MDL 11.9K

276.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.5K

$425 MDL 7,345

18.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.24

-42.32%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Cimislia: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $235 in Cimislia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 19% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $23.00 in Cimislia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $170 per month, with Cimislia 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 Cimislia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cimislia wins on cost – living expenses run 45% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cimislia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $235 in Cimislia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $846 in Cimislia – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $846 in Cimislia versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cimislia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cimislia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cimislia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $846 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cimislia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Cimislia 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 Cimislia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.