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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $358 in Galcaio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $588 in Galcaio, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $818 in Galcaio, rent included.

Phuket costs about 242% more than Galcaio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Galcaio are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Galcaio 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$4.98 SOS 2,830

-9.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$30.14 SOS 17.1K

54.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$7.20 SOS 4,089

17.92%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$1.03 SOS 583

199.03%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$0.49 SOS 277

38.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$0.31 SOS 178

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$1.54 SOS 877

42.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$0.52 SOS 295

248.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$1.03 SOS 584

116.50%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$2.32 SOS 1,316

-3.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$5.97 SOS 3,391

228.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.03 SOS 1,722

22.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$2.03 SOS 1,154

65.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.85 SOS 1,049

-12.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.52 SOS 1,430

-4.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.19 SOS 673

67.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$0.83 SOS 472

84.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$0.52 SOS 295

178.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$0.52 SOS 295

94.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$0.84 SOS 475

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$1.22 SOS 691

250.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

$2.02 SOS 1,148

846.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

$0.40 SOS 228

255.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

$1.51 SOS 858

98.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$1.53 SOS 870

-31.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$1.09 SOS 616

18.35%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$9,947 SOS 5.6M

236.81%

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

$122 ฿3,997

$99.6 SOS 56.6K

22.48%

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

$13.93 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$30.33 SOS 17.2K

-37.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

$25.02 SOS 14.2K

144.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

$10.15 SOS 5,766

65.91%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

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

$691 ฿22.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.5K

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 13, 2026

Last update for Galcaio: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $30.00 in Galcaio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $124 – 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 242%, 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 $1,835 per month in Phuket and $536 in Galcaio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 136% 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 $47.00 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 $358, than in Phuket at $1,223. 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.