Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Diadema Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Diadema

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $616 in Diadema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $1,068 in Diadema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $1,519 in Diadema.

Living in Phuket is roughly 105% more expensive than in Diadema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Diadema 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$8.82 R$45.80

-49.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$48.30 R$251

-27.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$8.84 R$45.90

1.36%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$2.22 R$11.52

35.14%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$1.41 R$7.30

-45.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.87 R$4.51

-45.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$2.89 R$15.03

-16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$4.18 R$21.70

-10.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.18 R$6.14

54.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$1.91 R$9.94

-25.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.11 R$5.78

39.64%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.63 R$13.67

-19.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$8.58 R$44.57

130.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$4.35 R$22.61

-20.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$10.04 R$52.2

10.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$2.63 R$13.64

10.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.73 R$8.98

-4.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.48 R$7.71

53.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.74 R$9.03

20.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$1.30 R$6.75

13.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$1.19 R$6.18

18.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.89 R$4.62

22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.77 R$3.97

-29.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$2.63 R$13.66

70.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$8.75 R$45.42

113.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$1.62 R$8.42

13.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$2.53 R$13.16

16.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$1.22 R$6.35

149.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$0.92 R$4.76

18.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$9.26 R$48.10

-58.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.19 R$6.19

25.21%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$23.5K R$121.8K

16.97%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$32.2K R$167.1K

-14.49%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$44.48 R$231

128.89%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$14.83 R$77.0

-23.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$17.75 R$92.2

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$19.00 R$98.7

185.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$7.47 R$38.81

5.09%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$424 R$2,201

36.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$7,511 R$39.0K

54.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$53.0 R$275

23.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$55.7 R$289

-48.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$91.1 R$473

8.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$81.3 R$422

10.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

$1,155 R$5,999

210.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

$782 R$4,060

233.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$481 R$2,500

4.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.12

-49.91%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Diadema: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $48.00 in Diadema. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $211, with Diadema cheaper for home cooking.

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 Diadema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diadema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $616 in Diadema – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $616 in Diadema versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Diadema but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Diadema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Diadema is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Diadema are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Diadema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.