Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Drama Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Drama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,203 in Drama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,824 in Drama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,445 in Drama.

Living in Phuket is roughly 2% more expensive than Drama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Drama 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$13.40 €11.47

-65.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$46.13 €39.49

1.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$9.21 €7.89

-4.02%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.75 €2.35

9.09%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.62 €1.39

-54.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.56 €0.48

-33.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$3.57 €3.05

-31.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$4.50 €3.85

-19.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.52 €1.30

48.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.56 €1.33

17.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.14 €0.97

96.49%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$4.01 €3.44

-42.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$12.19 €10.43

61.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$9.67 €8.28

-62.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$13.31 €11.40

-1.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.48 €1.27

129.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.44 €1.23

13.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.07 €0.91

125.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$2.03 €1.74

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.01 €0.86

54.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.22 €1.04

22.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.04 €0.89

-1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.49 €0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$5.23 €4.48

-14.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$5.39 €4.62

250.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.95 €0.81

87.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.07 €1.78

32.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$1.58 €1.35

-11.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$46.82 €40.08

-75.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.39 €6.32

-57.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$13.42 €11.49

4.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$2.04 €1.75

-33.82%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$35.1K €30.0K

-22.50%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$29.3K €25.1K

12.33%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$176 €151

-29.04%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$23.58 €20.18

-42.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$31.73 €27.16

-41.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$38.13 €32.64

61.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$25.80 €22.08

-34.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$8.28 €7.09

10.99%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$507 €434

37.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$5,486 €4,696

184.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$114 €97.3

-49.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$23.24 €19.89

51.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$63.1 €54.0

79.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$68.6 €58.7

25.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$315 €269

95.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$302 €259

47.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$524 €449

290.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$424 €363

251.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,556 €1,332

142.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$3,464 €2,965

-23.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$1,221 €1,045

-57.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.34

22.81%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Drama: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $315 in Drama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Drama pays 133% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $46.00 in Drama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $242 per month, with Drama 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 Drama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Drama is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Drama earns 133% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $315 in Drama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Drama runs roughly 308% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $507 in Drama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,203 in Drama versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Drama but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Drama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Drama 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 Drama 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 Drama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.