🙂A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $1,799 in Cinque Terre, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $2,745 in Cinque Terre, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $3,691 in Cinque Terre, rent included.
🙂Phuket is about 32% cheaper than Cinque Terre, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Phuket sits 8% below the global median, while Cinque Terre is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.51฿147
$23.60€20.32
-80.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.62฿1,515
$92.1€79.3
-49.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.49฿276
$11.36€9.78
-25.26%
Cappuccino
$3.08฿100
$2.07€1.79
48.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.07
$3.41€2.94
-80.06%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.75
$1.43€1.23
-74.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿78.8
$5.67€4.88
-57.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63฿118
$6.46€5.56
-43.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.19฿71.1
$1.36€1.17
61.03%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿59.0
$2.40€2.07
-24.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.23฿72.5
$2.66€2.29
-16.17%
Eggs
$2.24฿72.7
$4.25€3.66
-47.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.60฿637
$15.70€13.52
24.84%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.72฿121
$12.75€10.98
-70.82%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.47฿438
$22.34€19.24
-39.70%
Apples(1kg)
$3.36฿109
$2.76€2.38
21.74%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿52.5
$2.37€2.04
-31.65%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.3
$2.68€2.30
-10.07%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿64.6
$3.09€2.66
-35.60%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.76
$2.20€1.90
-30.45%
Onion(1kg)
$1.45฿47.19
$1.84€1.58
-21.20%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿32.96
$1.51€1.30
-33.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿15.73
$0.46€0.39
4.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿139
$7.10€6.12
-39.86%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.12฿621
$9.49€8.17
101.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84฿59.7
$1.98€1.70
-7.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74฿89.1
$2.55€2.19
7.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿46.06
$1.76€1.52
-19.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.72฿381
$42.84€36.89
-72.64%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.00฿97.6
$8.65€7.45
-65.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.05฿34.00
$1.86€1.60
-43.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.90฿452
$11.56€9.95
20.24%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29฿41.94
$2.11€1.82
-38.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K฿911.1K
$31.7K€27.3K
-11.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K฿1.1M
$39.2K€33.7K
-14.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,964
$245€211
-50.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93฿453
$14.69€12.65
-5.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.87฿613
$32.34€27.85
-41.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.3฿1,992
$55.6€47.90
10.18%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿547
$22.93€19.75
-26.56%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿289
$12.25€10.54
-27.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$691฿22.5K
$751€646
-7.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.2K฿525.2K
$8,174€7,039
97.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,878
$79.1€68.1
-26.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.39฿1,150
$24.22€20.86
46.12%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,685
$80.2€69.1
41.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.0฿2,698
$107€92.1
-22.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$607฿19.7K
$758€653
-20.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.6K
$581€501
-22.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,029฿66.0K
$1,198€1,032
69.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,493฿48.5K
$917€790
62.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,585฿116.5K
$2,768€2,383
29.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,585฿84.0K
$1,930€1,662
33.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Cinque Terre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$505฿16.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.3
23.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026
Last update for Cinque Terre: June 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $758 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.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $92.0 in Cinque Terre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $353 – 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: $1,223 in Phuket, $1,799 in Cinque Terre – roughly 47% 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 $1,835 per month in Phuket and $2,698 in Cinque Terre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – 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 $691 per month in Phuket and $751 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 $1,223, than in Cinque Terre at $1,799. 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 $1,223 in Phuket to $1,799 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 – 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.