ðA single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,833 in Cinque Terre, rent included.
ðA couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $2,807 in Cinque Terre, rent included.
ðA family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $3,782 in Cinque Terre, rent included.
ðPhuket is about 33% cheaper than Cinque Terre, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðPhuket sits 8% below the global median, while Cinque Terre is 37% above â they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63āļŋ151
$23.21âŽ19.87
-80.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84āļŋ1,532
$92.2âŽ78.9
-49.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84āļŋ289
$11.72âŽ10.04
-24.57%
Cappuccino
$3.00āļŋ98.0
$2.09âŽ1.79
43.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74āļŋ24.25
$3.41âŽ2.92
-78.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37āļŋ11.95
$1.47âŽ1.26
-74.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44āļŋ79.8
$5.93âŽ5.08
-58.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61āļŋ118
$6.50âŽ5.57
-44.46%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26āļŋ73.9
$1.29âŽ1.11
75.19%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84āļŋ60.1
$2.53âŽ2.17
-27.27%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24āļŋ73.4
$2.62âŽ2.24
-14.50%
Eggs
$2.32āļŋ75.7
$4.37âŽ3.74
-46.91%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67āļŋ643
$15.92âŽ13.63
23.56%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65āļŋ119
$12.86âŽ11.01
-71.62%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10āļŋ428
$22.17âŽ18.98
-40.91%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39āļŋ111
$2.62âŽ2.24
29.39%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64āļŋ53.7
$2.35âŽ2.01
-30.21%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41āļŋ79.0
$2.78âŽ2.38
-13.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03āļŋ66.4
$3.10âŽ2.65
-34.52%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56āļŋ50.9
$2.16âŽ1.85
-27.78%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50āļŋ48.94
$1.91âŽ1.63
-21.47%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02āļŋ33.50
$1.56âŽ1.34
-34.62%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49āļŋ16.00
$0.46âŽ0.39
6.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45āļŋ145
$6.86âŽ5.87
-35.13%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88āļŋ617
$9.29âŽ7.95
103.23%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78āļŋ58.1
$1.95âŽ1.67
-8.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75āļŋ90.1
$2.58âŽ2.21
6.59%
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40āļŋ45.81
$1.69âŽ1.45
-17.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48āļŋ376
$44.02âŽ37.68
-73.92%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12āļŋ102
$8.80âŽ7.53
-64.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00āļŋ32.67
$1.84âŽ1.57
-45.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09āļŋ461
$11.69âŽ10.01
20.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35āļŋ44.19
$2.01âŽ1.72
-32.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
$31.5KâŽ27.0K
-13.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
$40.3KâŽ34.5K
-18.39%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125āļŋ4,087
$248âŽ212
-49.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57āļŋ444
$14.66âŽ12.55
-7.44%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52āļŋ606
$33.03âŽ28.27
-43.93%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5āļŋ2,010
$54.3âŽ46.49
13.18%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84āļŋ551
$22.88âŽ19.59
-26.40%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19āļŋ300
$12.13âŽ10.38
-24.24%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698āļŋ22.8K
$766âŽ656
-8.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
$7,896âŽ6,759
97.47%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8āļŋ1,889
$79.0âŽ67.6
-26.89%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24āļŋ1,152
$24.66âŽ21.10
42.90%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113āļŋ3,699
$82.0âŽ70.2
37.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4āļŋ2,825
$106âŽ90.4
-18.19%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616āļŋ20.1K
$750âŽ642
-17.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446āļŋ14.6K
$578âŽ495
-22.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
$1,193âŽ1,021
71.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
$931âŽ797
60.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
$3,241âŽ2,774
16.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
$2,151âŽ1,841
23.15%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524āļŋ17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.3
23.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Cinque Terre: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $750 in Cinque Terre. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
ðA mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $92.0 in Cinque Terre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $354 â making Phuket 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 Cinque Terre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and Cinque Terre compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,833 in Cinque Terre â roughly 49% apart. Cinque Terre costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Cinque Terre?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $2,749 in Cinque Terre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled â not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Cinque Terre?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Cinque Terre?
Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $766 in Cinque Terre. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 21% more in Cinque Terre, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Cinque Terre at $1,833. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cinque Terre it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Cinque Terre?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,232 in Phuket to $1,833 in Cinque Terre. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Cinque Terre safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison â central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Phuket and Cinque Terre?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cinque Terre makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.