🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,962 in Gallarate.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,008 in Gallarate.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $4,055 in Gallarate.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 36% less than in Gallarate, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Gallarate is 46% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Gallarate
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$23.40€20.15
-79.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,483
$80.3€69.1
-43.50%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$11.67€10.05
-27.76%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.7
$2.00€1.73
46.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.42
$3.45€2.97
-80.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.00
$1.29€1.11
-71.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.7
$5.90€5.08
-59.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$5.96€5.13
-37.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Gallarate
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.0
$1.60€1.37
39.37%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.9
$1.38€1.18
32.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.9
$2.59€2.23
-16.22%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.4
$3.03€2.61
-27.06%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$16.12€13.88
22.46%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$13.25€11.41
-72.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$29.07€25.03
-53.46%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$2.83€2.44
15.90%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.7
$2.23€1.92
-27.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.7
$2.49€2.15
-3.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$2.52€2.17
-17.46%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.97
$1.54€1.33
-0.65%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.41
$1.77€1.52
-16.38%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.32
$1.57€1.35
-36.94%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.68
$0.46€0.40
10.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$7.25€6.24
-39.17%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿634
$7.05€6.07
174.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.62€1.39
9.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.7
$2.77€2.39
-2.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Gallarate
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.83
$1.70€1.47
-19.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$45.06€38.80
-74.72%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.7
$5.95€5.13
-49.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.51
$1.59€1.37
-37.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$34.15€29.40
-58.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.55
$2.05€1.76
-33.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.9K
$35.5K€30.6K
-20.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$36.8K€31.7K
-10.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Gallarate
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,978
$251€216
-51.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$13.47€11.60
0.74%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿599
$30.82€26.54
-40.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Gallarate
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,969
$61.1€52.6
-1.36%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$17.66€15.21
-2.94%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$12.60€10.85
-31.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Gallarate
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$575€495
20.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.8K
$6,674€5,747
135.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Gallarate
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,946
$91.5€78.8
-34.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,137
$37.36€32.17
-6.93%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,746
$106€91.3
8.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,723
$139€119
-39.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Gallarate
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$852€734
-28.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$735€633
-40.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.5K
$1,552€1,336
34.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$1,172€1,009
28.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.6K
$2,692€2,318
39.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.5K
$2,201€1,896
18.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Gallarate
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$2,190€1,886
-76.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.7
13.40%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Gallarate: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $852 in Gallarate. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Gallarate pays 331% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $80.0 in Gallarate for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $352 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 Gallarate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Gallarate?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Gallarate. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or Gallarate?
On paper, Gallarate earns 331% less. 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 vs Gallarate?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $852 in Gallarate. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Gallarate?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $80.0 in Gallarate. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Gallarate?
All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,962 in Gallarate – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Gallarate?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,962 in Gallarate, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Gallarate. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Gallarate?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Gallarate?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Gallarate 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Gallarate. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.