Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and CortonaCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cortona
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂A single person spends $1,270 per month in Phuket vs $1,658 in Cortona, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,304 per month in Phuket vs $2,523 in Cortona, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,339 per month in Phuket vs $3,387 in Cortona, rent included.
🙂Phuket is about 23% cheaper than Cortona, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Phuket sits 5% below the global median, while Cortona is 24% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿149
$13.81€11.73
-66.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44฿1,488
$74.0€62.8
-37.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿278
$11.55€9.81
-24.85%
Cappuccino
$2.95฿94.4
$1.77€1.50
66.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70฿22.39
$2.49€2.12
-71.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿12.63
$1.28€1.09
-69.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿81.1
$5.74€4.87
-55.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿121
$5.23€4.44
-27.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.22฿71.1
$1.75€1.49
26.86%
White Bread(500g)
$1.80฿57.5
$2.16€1.84
-16.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.19฿70.0
$2.95€2.50
-25.76%
Eggs
$2.31฿74.0
$4.51€3.83
-48.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.34฿620
$17.54€14.90
10.26%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.77฿121
$12.10€10.27
-68.84%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.22฿424
$20.40€17.32
-35.20%
Apples(1kg)
$3.33฿107
$2.42€2.05
37.60%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65฿52.8
$2.33€1.98
-29.18%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29฿73.3
$1.94€1.65
18.04%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿63.7
$2.70€2.29
-26.30%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿48.96
$1.73€1.47
-11.56%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51฿48.50
$1.84€1.56
-17.93%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿32.93
$1.26€1.07
-18.25%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.47
$0.55€0.47
-7.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿141
$6.89€5.85
-35.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.41฿622
$8.58€7.29
126.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿57.6
$1.85€1.57
-2.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿85.9
$2.74€2.33
-2.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.43฿45.86
$1.77€1.50
-19.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿375
$43.95€37.31
-73.38%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04฿97.3
$5.37€4.56
-43.39%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.19
$1.46€1.24
-28.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.68฿438
$34.78€29.53
-60.67%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30฿41.61
$1.95€1.65
-33.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K฿893.9K
$29.2K€24.8K
-4.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K฿1.1M
$29.4K€25.0K
12.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿3,940
$226€192
-45.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82฿443
$11.07€9.40
24.84%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86฿604
$31.56€26.80
-40.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.2฿1,959
$53.9€45.75
13.47%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81฿538
$22.81€19.36
-26.30%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿284
$11.76€9.98
-24.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$696฿22.3K
$290€246
140.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1K฿514.5K
$10.5K€8,907
53.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,899
$73.5€62.4
-19.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85฿1,117
$35.44€30.09
-1.66%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,626
$84.7€71.9
33.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1฿2,725
$120€102
-29.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$615฿19.7K
$755€641
-18.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.4K
$585€497
-23.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,085฿66.8K
$1,191€1,011
75.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿47.9K
$943€801
58.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,734฿119.7K
$2,422€2,056
54.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,662฿85.3K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Cortona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$534฿17.1K
$2,732€2,319
-80.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
3.95
34.94%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Last update for Cortona: April 22, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $615 in Phuket versus $755 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 run about 412% higher in Cortona, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $46 in Phuket versus $74 in Cortona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $343 – 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 Cortona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and Cortona compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,270 in Phuket, $1,658 in Cortona – roughly 31% apart. Cortona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Cortona?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Phuket and $2,487 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Phuket and Cortona?
Public transport costs about 276% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Cortona?
Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Phuket and $290 in Cortona. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
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 $1,270, than in Cortona at $1,658. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cortona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
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 $1,270 in Phuket to $1,658 in Cortona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Cortona 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 Cortona?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cortona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.