Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Goa Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Goa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $581 in Goa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $885 in Goa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,190 in Goa.

Living in Phuket is roughly 115% more expensive than in Goa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Goa 57% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Goa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55 ฿153
$3.39 ₹327
34.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18 ฿1,553
$15.43 ₹1,488
199.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.84 ฿297
$5.74 ₹554
54.01%
Cappuccino
$3.06 ฿103
$1.32 ₹127
131.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ฿24.40
$0.39 ₹37.45
87.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ฿13.39
$0.23 ₹22.25
73.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.43 ฿81.8
$1.30 ₹125
86.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 ฿127
$3.17 ₹305
19.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Goa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 ฿76.0
$0.79 ₹76.6
186.08%
White Bread (500g)
$1.81 ฿60.9
$0.60 ₹57.5
201.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.13 ₹109
99.12%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.5
$0.93 ₹89.7
141.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.51 ฿656
$6.70 ₹646
191.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.65 ฿123
$3.19 ₹308
14.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.05 ฿439
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ฿109
$2.09 ₹201
54.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 ฿54.4
$0.93 ₹89.3
74.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.38 ฿80.1
$1.72 ₹166
38.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 ฿68.1
$0.52 ₹50.6
290.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.6
$0.38 ₹36.69
302.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$0.55 ₹52.9
172.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 ฿32.91
$0.56 ₹53.9
75.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.39
$0.40 ₹38.73
30.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44 ฿149
$3.57 ₹344
24.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.32 ฿616
$6.84 ₹660
167.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 ฿62.7
$0.98 ₹94.5
89.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 ฿90.1
$1.77 ₹170
51.41%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$4.39 ₹423
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Goa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.41 ฿47.46
$0.24 ₹23.15
487.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.70 ฿393
$17.36 ₹1,674
-32.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 ฿105
$1.13 ₹109
175.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 ฿35.06
$0.33 ₹32.23
215.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.11 ฿474
$2.37 ₹228
495.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ฿44.10
$1.19 ₹115
10.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K ฿935.4K
$11.5K ₹1.1M
142.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K ฿1.1M
$32.6K ₹3.1M
1.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Goa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿4,118
$24.36 ₹2,349
402.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59 ฿457
$3.32 ₹320
309.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70 ฿629
$10.59 ₹1,022
76.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Goa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.5 ฿2,034
$19.44 ₹1,875
211.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98 ฿571
$4.23 ₹408
301.42%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 ฿305
$3.27 ₹315
177.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Goa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$706 ฿23.8K
$127 ₹12.2K
458.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K ฿531.5K
$1,933 ₹186.4K
717.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Goa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6 ฿1,969
$33.55 ₹3,236
74.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36 ฿1,189
$28.75 ₹2,773
22.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,883
$51.4 ₹4,960
124.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7 ฿2,816
$23.99 ₹2,314
249.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Goa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$626 ฿21.0K
$281 ₹27.1K
122.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$445 ฿15.0K
$251 ₹24.2K
77.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,040 ฿68.6K
$464 ₹44.7K
340.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,492 ฿50.2K
$438 ₹42.3K
240.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,483 ฿117.1K
$1,157 ₹111.6K
201.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,577 ฿86.7K
$685 ₹66.1K
275.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Goa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$500 ฿16.8K
$351 ₹33.9K
42.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
8.47
-37.07%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Goa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $281 in Goa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 42% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $15.00 in Goa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $115 per month, with Goa 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 Goa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Goa?
Phuket and Goa differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $581 including rent). Goa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Phuket or Goa?
Average pay runs 42% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Goa?
Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $281 in Goa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 151% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Goa – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $581 in Goa versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Goa but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Goa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Goa?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Goa safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Goa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Goa?
Expats usually find Goa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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