Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Curepe Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Curepe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,369 in Curepe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $2,381 in Curepe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $3,392 in Curepe, rent included.

Phuket is about 8% cheaper than Curepe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Curepe are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Curepe 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$10.36 TTD 69.8

-55.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,066

$86.8 TTD 585

-62.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$9.08 TTD 61.2

-4.41%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.9

$3.61 TTD 24.36

-19.67%

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

$0.84 ฿27.91

$1.04 TTD 6.99

-19.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.17

$0.78 TTD 5.23

-37.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.1

$2.19 TTD 14.75

13.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.58 TTD 24.14

4.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.49 TTD 16.82

-24.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.58

$2.54 TTD 17.11

-44.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.88 TTD 19.41

-43.75%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$4.42 TTD 29.79

-49.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$6.56 TTD 44.22

202.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$10.17 TTD 68.6

-65.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$11.42 TTD 77.0

-0.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.9

$5.67 TTD 38.25

-48.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$3.01 TTD 20.31

-42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.2

$3.73 TTD 25.11

-39.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.5

$4.41 TTD 29.72

-51.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.77

$2.21 TTD 14.90

-33.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.96

$1.91 TTD 12.88

-25.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.29

$1.90 TTD 12.78

-42.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.78

$1.41 TTD 9.49

-57.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$6.03 TTD 40.63

-28.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$19.54 TTD 132

-4.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.6

$2.30 TTD 15.48

-21.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.1

$3.05 TTD 20.54

-2.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.3

$0.61 TTD 4.09

268.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿777

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿103

$1.04 TTD 7.02

198.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.59

$1.27 TTD 8.53

-14.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$14.98 TTD 101

-74.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.20

$1.17 TTD 7.88

22.22%

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

$27.8K ฿918.9K

$37.5K TTD 252.7K

-25.88%

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

$27.0K ฿892.4K

$41.5K TTD 279.4K

-34.90%

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

$105 ฿3,466

$89.5 TTD 604

17.07%

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

$11.39 ฿377

$51.5 TTD 347

-77.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$57.0 TTD 384

-69.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,797

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$8.72 TTD 58.8

-10.78%

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

$576 ฿19.1K

$392 TTD 2,640

47.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿383.0K

$10.6K TTD 71.8K

8.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,104

$55.4 TTD 374

14.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿962

$52.2 TTD 352

-44.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,182

$148 TTD 996

-34.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,977

$104 TTD 702

-13.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$741 TTD 4,994

-1.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.6K

$437 TTD 2,949

14.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.3K

$1,475 TTD 9,941

44.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$1,113 TTD 7,503

12.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$515 TTD 3,472

-1.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.75

-3.13%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Curepe: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $741 in Curepe. 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 1% higher in Curepe, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $87.0 in Curepe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $359 – 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 Curepe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $1,369 in Curepe – roughly 8% apart. Curepe costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,054 in Curepe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $87.0 in Curepe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Curepe, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Curepe at $1,369. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Curepe it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Phuket to $1,369 in Curepe. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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