Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cortona

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,433 in Cortona, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Cortona, Italy
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Cortona
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,433
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Cortona

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Cortona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $1,433 in Cortona, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Cortona $1,433

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $2,197 in Cortona, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Cortona $2,197

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $2,961 in Cortona, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Cortona $2,961

Phuket is about 11% cheaper than Cortona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Cortona is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$16.79 €15.04
-73.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$67.6 €60.5
-52.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$11.36 €10.18
-22.45%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$2.12 €1.90
33.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.41
$2.84 €2.54
-69.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$1.48 €1.33
-66.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$5.47 €4.90
-53.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$6.78 €6.07
-45.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.73 €1.55
-4.05%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$2.20 €1.97
-33.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$2.97 €2.66
-49.49%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$4.74 €4.24
-55.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$14.81 €13.26
28.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$12.15 €10.88
-72.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$19.44 €17.41
-43.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$2.55 €2.28
14.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$2.29 €2.06
-26.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$2.36 €2.12
-4.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$2.39 €2.14
-12.97%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.41 €1.26
7.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.52
$1.61 €1.44
-14.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.96
$1.38 €1.23
-22.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.55 €0.50
-5.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$6.94 €6.22
-39.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$5.69 €5.10
230.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.59 €1.43
14.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$2.53 €2.27
12.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.98
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$6.61 €5.92
-54.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.33
$1.63 €1.46
-37.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$33.47 €29.97
-88.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.76
$2.16 €1.94
-31.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.4K
$35.4K €31.7K
-24.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.5K
$36.3K €32.5K
-26.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,251
$202 €181
-52.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$11.25 €10.07
0.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$32.35 €28.97
-47.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$28.04 €25.12
139.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$11.04 €9.89
-2.81%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$11.25 €10.08
-33.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$478 €428
-0.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.0K
$16.7K €15.0K
-32.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,104
$72.0 €64.5
-13.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$36.82 €32.98
-22.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,181
$85.7 €76.8
10.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,895
$126 €113
-32.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$864 €774
-17.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$400 €358
22.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$1,493 €1,337
29.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$621 €556
130.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$2,315 €2,073
80.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
$2,804 €2,512
8.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
$3,067 €2,747
-83.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.52
58.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Cortona: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Cortona
$400 18.5% $91
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Cortona
$326 22.3% $59
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Cortona
$246 97.7% $122
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Cortona
$144 18.4% $22
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Cortona
$252 107% $130
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Cortona
$51 38.5% $32
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Cortona
$15 * 79.1% $56

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $864 in Cortona. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Cortona are about 6.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $68 in Cortona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $326 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇮🇹 Cortona
🕒 Local time
15:36 3:36 PM
09:36 9:36 AM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
22,450
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.65 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Cortona 9,120 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Cortona

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Cortona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and in Cortona compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,278 in Phuket, $1,433 in Cortona – Phuket comes out roughly 11% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Cortona?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $2,150 in Cortona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Cortona?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $864 in Cortona.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Cortona?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $1,433 in Cortona. That makes Phuket about 11% cheaper.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Cortona?
Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $478 in Cortona. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Cortona?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Phuket to $1,433 in Cortona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Phuket and Cortona?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cortona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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