Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cumbaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cumbaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $920 in Cumbaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,419 in Cumbaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,918 in Cumbaya, rent included.

Phuket costs about 37% more than Cumbaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Cumbaya are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Cumbaya 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.59 $4.59

2.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$33.59 $33.59

35.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.93 $5.93

42.16%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.81 $2.81

4.27%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.11 $1.11

-37.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.70 $0.70

-47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.97 $1.97

22.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.02 $4.02

-7.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.05 $1.05

112.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.56 $1.56

17.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.77 $1.77

22.60%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.25 $2.25

-1.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$8.45 $8.45

133.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$8.03 $8.03

-54.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.96 $7.96

69.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.01 $2.01

63.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.21 $1.21

33.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.03 $1.03

133.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.32 $1.32

57.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.42 $1.42

7.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.11 $1.11

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.79 $0.79

25.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.02 $1.02

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.94 $5.94

-25.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$8.21 $8.21

136.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.59 $1.59

11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.84 $2.84

-4.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.34 $0.34

302.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$23.51 $23.51

-51.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.53 $1.53

97.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.47 $1.47

-32.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$9.92 $9.92

42.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.68 $0.68

100.00%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$19.6K $19.6K

43.73%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.4K $25.4K

29.78%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$34.80 $34.80

249.71%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$14.04 $14.04

-3.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$28.98 $28.98

-36.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$30.24 $30.24

99.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$14.89 $14.89

15.11%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.17 $7.17

21.20%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$279 $279

148.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$5,637 $5,637

178.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$57.9 $57.9

2.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$43.27 $43.27

-19.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$99.5 $99.5

15.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$85.3 $85.3

-2.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$347 $347

76.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$322 $322

35.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$617 $617

239.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$500 $500

201.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,201 $1,201

212.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$789 $789

231.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-33.38%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cumbaya: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $347 in Cumbaya. 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $34.00 in Cumbaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $212 – making Cumbaya 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 Cumbaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 37% more than Cumbaya, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,380 in Cumbaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cumbaya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 106% less in Cumbaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $279 in Cumbaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cumbaya, where all-in costs run around $920, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Cumbaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cumbaya costs $920 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Cumbaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.