Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Golden Grove Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Golden Grove

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,039 in Golden Grove.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,727 in Golden Grove.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,416 in Golden Grove.

Living in Phuket is roughly 22% more expensive than in Golden Grove, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Golden Grove 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$15.64 JMD 2,457

-70.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

-57.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$8.77 JMD 1,377

-1.03%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$5.22 JMD 820

-44.44%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.23 JMD 194

-31.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.70 JMD 110

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.20 JMD 346

12.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.20 JMD 502

16.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$4.22 JMD 662

-55.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$3.72 JMD 585

-62.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.60 JMD 251

1.25%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.63 JMD 570

-38.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$11.27 JMD 1,770

76.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$6.47 JMD 1,017

-46.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$10.26 JMD 1,612

10.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$6.05 JMD 951

-52.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$3.83 JMD 602

-55.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$7.32 JMD 1,150

-68.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$3.12 JMD 490

-31.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$3.31 JMD 520

-55.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$2.71 JMD 426

-47.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$3.06 JMD 480

-64.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.47 JMD 230

-59.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$9.34 JMD 1,466

-53.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$11.47 JMD 1,801

62.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.92 JMD 458

-38.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$3.95 JMD 620

-24.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.21 JMD 191

156.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$3.13 JMD 492

-65.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$6.30 JMD 989

-38.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.36 JMD 213

5.15%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$44.8K JMD 7.0M

-37.91%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$32.6K JMD 5.1M

-17.34%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$176 JMD 27.7K

-40.62%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$29.01 JMD 4,557

-60.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$52.2 JMD 8,196

-66.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$13.06 JMD 2,051

-40.43%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$363 JMD 57.1K

58.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$8,080 JMD 1.3M

43.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$23.70 JMD 3,722

168.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$31.75 JMD 4,987

-8.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$78.5 JMD 12.3K

22.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$105 JMD 16.5K

-14.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Golden Grove: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $76.0 in Golden Grove for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $386 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 Golden Grove: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Golden Grove differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $1,039 including rent). Golden Grove is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,559 in Golden Grove to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 40% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,039 in Golden Grove – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,039 in Golden Grove versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Golden Grove but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Golden Grove the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Golden Grove are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Golden Grove gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.