Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and CovilhaCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Covilha
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,538 in Covilha, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,017 in Covilha, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,496 in Covilha, rent included.
🙂Phuket is about 18% cheaper than Covilha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Covilha is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Covilha
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$9.22€8.00
-49.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,489
$38.20€33.14
18.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿277
$6.87€5.96
22.71%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿96.1
$1.66€1.44
76.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.50
$1.70€1.48
-59.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$1.14€0.99
-67.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.99€1.73
21.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$1.48€1.29
151.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Covilha
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.3
$1.05€0.91
112.38%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿60.1
$1.02€0.89
79.41%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿71.1
$1.31€1.13
65.65%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.6
$3.07€2.67
-28.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿648
$7.52€6.52
162.50%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$7.32€6.35
-50.41%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿444
$12.10€10.50
11.82%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿108
$1.97€1.71
66.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.9
$1.42€1.23
13.38%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.81€1.57
33.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$2.62€2.28
-20.61%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿50.2
$2.02€1.75
-24.26%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.58
$1.86€1.61
-20.43%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.44
$1.32€1.15
-25.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.74
$0.83€0.72
-38.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿145
$5.68€4.93
-22.36%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿636
$3.15€2.73
515.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.4
$1.05€0.91
69.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿89.0
$1.76€1.52
53.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Covilha
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.99
$2.11€1.83
-35.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿374
$41.32€35.85
-72.43%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿99.1
$2.94€2.55
2.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.63
$0.82€0.71
20.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿463
$17.32€15.03
-18.59%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.71
$1.92€1.67
-29.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿925.3K
$40.7K€35.3K
-30.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$39.3K€34.1K
-16.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Covilha
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,993
$113€98.0
7.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿445
$19.60€17.01
-30.77%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿601
$39.92€34.63
-54.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Covilha
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,976
$43.25€37.52
39.24%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿562
$11.51€9.99
48.91%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿285
$8.03€6.96
8.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Covilha
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.8K
$85.5€74.2
710.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿514.7K
$5,844€5,070
168.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Covilha
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,953
$97.8€84.8
-39.12%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,141
$21.02€18.24
65.41%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,760
$114€99.1
0.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,733
$72.8€63.2
14.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Covilha
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.1K
$517€448
18.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$734€637
-40.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.7K
$990€859
111.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.5K
$807€700
87.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿123.0K
$3,237€2,809
15.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.8K
$2,306€2,001
13.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Covilha
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.7K
$842€730
-39.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.39
21.41%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Covilha: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $517 in Covilha. 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 66% higher in Covilha, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $38.00 in Covilha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $213 – making Covilha 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 Covilha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Covilha cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Covilha is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,307 in Covilha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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 food prices compare in Phuket and Covilha?
Interestingly, groceries are about 38% cheaper in Covilha – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Covilha?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $38.00 in Covilha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Covilha?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Covilha at $1,538. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Covilha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Covilha more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Covilha?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Covilha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.