Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gili Air Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gili Air

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $847 in Gili Air, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,486 in Gili Air, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $2,126 in Gili Air, rent included.

Phuket costs about 49% more than Gili Air, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Gili Air are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Gili Air 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$1.94 Rp 34.8K

135.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$17.51 Rp 313.7K

166.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

222.05%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

104.73%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.40 Rp 7,213

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

52.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.07 Rp 37.1K

76.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.24 Rp 22.2K

75.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

4.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

155.81%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.77 Rp 31.7K

25.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.58 Rp 189.5K

88.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.12 Rp 55.9K

17.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$8.63 Rp 154.7K

53.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.63 Rp 47.2K

22.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

54.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.99 Rp 35.6K

20.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

29.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

11.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.65 Rp 29.6K

-10.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.71 Rp 12.8K

45.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.52 Rp 9,239

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.25 Rp 40.3K

88.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$16.39 Rp 293.6K

14.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.98 Rp 35.5K

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.02 Rp 36.2K

36.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.21 Rp 3,752

547.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$6.72 Rp 120.4K

69.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.37 Rp 6,610

748.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.37 Rp 6,548

181.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$4.87 Rp 87.2K

182.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.68 Rp 12.1K

97.06%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$20.8K Rp 372.1M

33.28%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$25.5K Rp 457.2M

32.69%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$63.4 Rp 1.1M

94.91%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$3.20 Rp 57.4K

322.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$19.44 Rp 348.3K

-3.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$55.8 Rp 999.2K

10.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

348.05%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

293.97%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$202 Rp 3.6M

248.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$4,454 Rp 79.8M

256.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$44.23 Rp 792.4K

34.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$31.05 Rp 556.3K

12.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$72.0 Rp 1.3M

60.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$62.6 Rp 1.1M

34.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$478 Rp 8.6M

29.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$320 Rp 5.7M

35.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$1,597 Rp 28.6M

29.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$973 Rp 17.4M

55.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,323 Rp 23.7M

175.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,060 Rp 19.0M

147.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

13.28

-59.86%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Gili Air: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $478 in Gili Air. 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $18.00 in Gili Air. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $213 – making Gili Air 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 Gili Air: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 49%, 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,270 in Gili Air. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gili Air, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $847 in Gili Air. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 69% less in Gili Air. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gili Air, where all-in costs run around $847, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Gili Air it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gili Air – 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 Gili Air. 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.