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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $810 in Diadema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,317 in Diadema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,823 in Diadema.

Living in Phuket is roughly 52% more expensive than Diadema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Diadema 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$7.09 R$35.38

-34.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$39.87 R$199

17.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.02 R$35.04

25.93%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.87 R$9.34

60.43%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.21 R$6.01

-38.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.90 R$4.50

-58.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.76 R$8.78

38.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.92 R$14.55

23.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.02 R$5.09

121.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.58 R$7.89

16.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.31 R$6.55

70.99%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.35 R$11.74

-1.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.97 R$39.79

146.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.89 R$19.42

-6.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$8.57 R$42.79

52.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.20 R$10.97

54.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.75 R$8.75

-6.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.45 R$7.25

66.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.60 R$8.00

26.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.25 R$6.24

24.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.08 R$5.41

38.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.76 R$3.79

34.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.65 R$3.25

-24.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.49 R$12.41

78.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$9.43 R$47.04

100.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.36 R$6.80

30.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.40 R$11.96

14.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.94 R$4.68

48.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$38.96 R$194

-70.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.86 R$4.32

262.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.71 R$3.55

40.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$8.76 R$43.74

60.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.01 R$5.06

33.66%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$22.0K R$109.6K

23.76%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$28.9K R$144.4K

13.76%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$46.77 R$233

167.22%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$13.05 R$65.1

3.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$19.01 R$94.9

-2.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$22.35 R$112

175.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$21.23 R$106

-20.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.49 R$27.40

67.40%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$318 R$1,588

119.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$6,901 R$34.4K

125.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$51.0 R$255

13.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$41.58 R$207

-15.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$77.4 R$386

46.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$73.0 R$364

18.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$317 R$1,583

94.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$214 R$1,070

108.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$585 R$2,918

250.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$429 R$2,143

247.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,226 R$6,118

208.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$820 R$4,094

222.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$506 R$2,525

3.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.92

-51.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Diadema: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $317 in Diadema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $40.00 in Diadema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $192 per month, with Diadema cheaper across the board.

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, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

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

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $317 in Diadema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Diadema – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $810 in Diadema – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $810 in Diadema versus $1,232 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 52% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.