😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,155 in Fontainebleau.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,604 in Fontainebleau.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $4,054 in Fontainebleau.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 7% more expensive than in Fontainebleau, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket10% lower, Fontainebleau16% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Fontainebleau
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$18.68€16.28
-76.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,077
$68.6€59.8
-52.97%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿298
$13.95€12.16
-35.99%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.6
$3.91€3.41
-25.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.38
$3.23€2.81
-72.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$1.72€1.50
-72.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.5
$8.02€6.99
-70.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$5.64€4.92
-34.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Fontainebleau
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.3
$1.30€1.14
43.85%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.94
$2.01€1.75
-26.87%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$3.02€2.64
-48.68%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.1
$4.35€3.79
-51.72%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿654
$22.04€19.22
-11.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$12.55€10.94
-72.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿380
$23.82€20.77
-52.23%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.6
$3.41€2.97
-12.61%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.2
$2.16€1.89
-22.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.7
$2.38€2.08
-7.14%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.1
$3.23€2.82
-33.13%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.9
$1.89€1.65
-19.58%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.67
$2.13€1.86
-37.09%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.67
$1.58€1.37
-28.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$0.69€0.61
-20.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$14.42€12.57
-70.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿637
$8.22€7.17
132.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.4
$2.46€2.14
-27.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.9
$4.32€3.76
-35.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Fontainebleau
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.4
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿759
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$2.36€2.05
28.39%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.15
$2.22€1.94
-54.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$25.11€21.89
-84.51%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.77
$2.18€1.90
-31.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿887.3K
$36.0K€31.4K
-26.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿902.2K
$35.4K€30.8K
-23.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Fontainebleau
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,420
$217€189
-52.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿378
$15.84€13.81
-28.47%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿581
$31.44€27.40
-44.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Fontainebleau
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,738
$22.71€19.80
129.33%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿370
$14.05€12.25
-21.21%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿257
$10.85€9.45
-29.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Fontainebleau
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$632€551
-11.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿384.1K
$8,506€7,415
35.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Fontainebleau
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,104
$91.2€79.5
-30.89%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿986
$42.02€36.62
-29.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,272
$106€92.3
-7.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,954
$105€91.6
-15.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Fontainebleau
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$948€827
-22.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.3K
$1,764€1,538
19.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.9K
$1,463€1,275
-16.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Fontainebleau
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$3,221€2,807
-84.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
3.5
59.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Fontainebleau: September 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $948 in Fontainebleau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Fontainebleau pays 552% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $69.0 in Fontainebleau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $381 per month, with Phuket 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 Fontainebleau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Fontainebleau?
Fontainebleau wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fontainebleau the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Fontainebleau?
On paper, salaries run 552% lower in Fontainebleau. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Fontainebleau?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $948 in Fontainebleau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or in Fontainebleau?
Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 39% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Fontainebleau?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,155 in Fontainebleau – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or in Fontainebleau?
At $1,155 in Fontainebleau versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Fontainebleau but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Fontainebleau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Fontainebleau?
Both work as nomad bases, but Fontainebleau delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,155 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Fontainebleau hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Fontainebleau?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Fontainebleau are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Fontainebleau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.