Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Coronado Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Coronado

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,336 in Coronado.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $2,139 in Coronado.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,941 in Coronado.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 6% less than in Coronado, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Coronado is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$11.98 PAB 11.98

-62.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$35.63 PAB 35.63

29.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.98 PAB 8.98

-1.56%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.88 PAB 2.88

6.25%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.04 PAB 1.04

-29.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.83 PAB 0.83

-51.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.51 PAB 1.51

60.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.97 PAB 2.97

27.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.85 PAB 1.85

22.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.52 PAB 1.52

19.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.91 PAB 2.91

-22.68%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.21 PAB 2.21

1.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$14.82 PAB 14.82

31.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.55 PAB 6.55

-44.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$9.43 PAB 9.43

38.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.63 PAB 2.63

22.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.02 PAB 1.02

58.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.94 PAB 2.94

-19.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.98 PAB 2.98

-31.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.10 PAB 2.10

-27.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.94 PAB 1.94

-22.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$2.10 PAB 2.10

-53.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$5.86 PAB 5.86

-24.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$9.93 PAB 9.93

84.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.78 PAB 0.78

138.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$0.85 PAB 0.85

215.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.97 PAB 0.97

45.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.49 PAB 1.49

108.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.51 PAB 1.51

-31.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$10.20 PAB 10.20

38.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.91 PAB 0.91

43.96%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$33.9K PAB 33.9K

-1.94%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$111 PAB 111

10.13%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$21.36 PAB 21.36

-36.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$59.4 PAB 59.4

-68.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.36 PAB 3.36

169.94%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$6,385 PAB 6,385

147.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$44.80 PAB 44.80

30.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$30.26 PAB 30.26

16.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$100 PAB 100

15.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$130 PAB 130

-35.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$773 PAB 773

-19.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$566 PAB 566

-21.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,253 PAB 1,253

62.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,258 PAB 1,258

18.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,992 PAB 1,992

29.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$604 PAB 604

-17.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-11.17%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Coronado: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $773 in Coronado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coronado pays 21% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $36.00 in Coronado for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $250 per month, with Coronado 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 Coronado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Coronado. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Coronado. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $773 in Coronado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $1,336 in Coronado – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Coronado pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,336 in Coronado, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Coronado. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,250 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Coronado 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Coronado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.