Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Galcaio Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Galcaio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Phuket vs $360 in Galcaio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,304 per month in Phuket vs $588 in Galcaio, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,339 per month in Phuket vs $815 in Galcaio, rent included.

Phuket costs about 253% more than Galcaio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Galcaio are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Galcaio 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$4.86 SOS 2,776

-4.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$30.30 SOS 17.3K

53.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$7.14 SOS 4,083

21.57%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$1.01 SOS 580

192.08%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$0.49 SOS 278

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$0.29 SOS 166

34.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$1.47 SOS 842

51.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$0.49 SOS 280

267.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$1.02 SOS 581

114.71%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$2.26 SOS 1,294

2.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$6.05 SOS 3,459

219.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$3.04 SOS 1,738

24.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$1.98 SOS 1,134

68.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.83 SOS 1,043

-9.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$2.57 SOS 1,468

-10.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$1.17 SOS 667

70.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$0.79 SOS 451

93.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$0.52 SOS 297

190.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$0.48 SOS 274

114.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$0.77 SOS 439

-33.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$1.18 SOS 677

273.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$2.04 SOS 1,163

851.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$0.41 SOS 232

248.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$1.47 SOS 842

106.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$1.49 SOS 851

-30.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$1.09 SOS 621

19.27%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$9,954 SOS 5.7M

231.88%

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

$123 ฿3,962

$100 SOS 57.3K

22.68%

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

$13.82 ฿445

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$30.34 SOS 17.3K

-37.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$25.42 SOS 14.5K

140.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

$10.15 SOS 5,798

65.62%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

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

$696 ฿22.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Galcaio: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $615 in Phuket versus $0 in Galcaio. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46 in Phuket versus $30 in Galcaio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $122 – making Galcaio the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Galcaio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 253%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Phuket and $540 in Galcaio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 139% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $30.00 in Galcaio. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Galcaio, where all-in costs run around $360, than in Phuket at $1,270. In Galcaio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Galcaio – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Galcaio. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.