Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Fuvahmulah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Fuvahmulah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $779 in Fuvahmulah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,126 in Fuvahmulah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,474 in Fuvahmulah.

Living in Phuket is roughly 62% more expensive than Fuvahmulah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Fuvahmulah 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.61 MVR 24.75

38.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.92 MVR 14.18

98.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$0.47 MVR 7.28

361.70%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.53 MVR 23.62

44.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.52 MVR 101

202.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.71 MVR 72.6

-22.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$13.03 MVR 201

3.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.20 MVR 49.27

2.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.29 MVR 19.83

24.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$3.31 MVR 51.1

-27.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.60 MVR 24.61

30.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.08 MVR 16.65

41.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.11 MVR 17.16

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.60 MVR 24.71

-38.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.63 MVR 9.74

-19.05%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.81 MVR 58.8

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$6.93 MVR 107

-36.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.64 MVR 9.80

114.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$19.35 MVR 298

-41.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.65 MVR 25.47

83.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$1.65 MVR 25.51

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.58 MVR 101

114.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.32 MVR 20.29

3.03%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$19.5K MVR 301.2K

44.39%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$22.5K MVR 347.7K

45.93%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$159 MVR 2,456

-23.60%

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

$13.57 ฿444

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$38.49 MVR 594

-52.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$22.51 MVR 347

167.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$13.06 MVR 201

31.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.55 MVR 101

32.67%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$154 MVR 2,379

349.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$2,284 MVR 35.2K

586.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$28.82 MVR 444

106.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$18.82 MVR 290

84.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$38.43 MVR 593

198.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$52.1 MVR 803

59.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$325 MVR 5,014

88.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$262 MVR 4,040

66.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$553 MVR 8,532

278.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$512 MVR 7,899

194.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$352 MVR 5,430

642.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$665 MVR 10.3K

-23.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Fuvahmulah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $325 in Fuvahmulah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fuvahmulah pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Fuvahmulah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fuvahmulah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Fuvahmulah earns 31% 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: $613 in Phuket versus $325 in Fuvahmulah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $154 in Fuvahmulah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Fuvahmulah runs roughly 70% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $779 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fuvahmulah but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Fuvahmulah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fuvahmulah 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 Fuvahmulah 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 Fuvahmulah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.