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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $878 in Golden Grove.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,439 in Golden Grove.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,000 in Golden Grove.

Living in Phuket is roughly 42% more expensive than in Golden Grove, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Golden Grove 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$7.46 JMD 1,176

-39.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$61.6 JMD 9,716

-25.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.64 JMD 1,363

2.31%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$4.23 JMD 667

-27.66%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.38 JMD 217

-47.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.76 JMD 120

-47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.57 JMD 405

-5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.15 JMD 497

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$4.22 JMD 666

-46.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$3.51 JMD 553

-48.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.62 JMD 255

38.89%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$3.55 JMD 560

-36.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$10.85 JMD 1,712

79.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.30 JMD 994

-42.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.82 JMD 1,234

66.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$6.03 JMD 952

-46.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$3.11 JMD 491

-47.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$4.19 JMD 662

-43.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.94 JMD 464

-30.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.07 JMD 327

-26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.01 JMD 317

-25.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$3.03 JMD 479

-67.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.39 JMD 62.0

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$8.94 JMD 1,411

-50.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$11.20 JMD 1,768

63.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.90 JMD 458

-35.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.22 JMD 508

-16.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.13 JMD 178

175.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$3.24 JMD 511

-67.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$6.11 JMD 964

130.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.28 JMD 202

2.34%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$42.9K JMD 6.8M

-35.14%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$34.0K JMD 5.4M

-2.33%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$162 JMD 25.5K

-24.30%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$21.94 JMD 3,461

-38.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$50.6 JMD 7,980

-63.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$13.30 JMD 2,099

-31.80%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$223 JMD 35.2K

216.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$2,528 JMD 398.9K

525.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$25.81 JMD 4,072

126.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$25.63 JMD 4,044

37.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$71.4 JMD 11.3K

61.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.15

-41.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Golden Grove: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $62.0 in Golden Grove for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $336 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 42% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $878 including rent). Golden Grove is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,317 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 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $878 in Golden Grove – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $878 in Golden Grove versus $1,250 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 42% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.