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 $864 in Golden Grove.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,399 in Golden Grove.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,935 in Golden Grove.

Living in Phuket is roughly 46% more expensive than Golden Grove, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Golden Grove 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$7.60 JMD 1,195

-38.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$61.4 JMD 9,656

-26.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$8.89 JMD 1,397

-5.17%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$4.31 JMD 678

-32.02%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.33 JMD 209

-48.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.75 JMD 118

-50.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.54 JMD 399

-5.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.16 JMD 497

17.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$4.38 JMD 690

-49.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$3.46 JMD 544

-47.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.63 JMD 257

33.13%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$3.57 JMD 562

-38.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.02 JMD 1,733

79.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.18 JMD 972

-41.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.60 JMD 1,195

78.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$6.03 JMD 948

-45.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$3.15 JMD 495

-48.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$4.19 JMD 659

-42.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.05 JMD 480

-31.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$2.00 JMD 315

-23.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.94 JMD 304

-23.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$3.11 JMD 489

-68.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.37 JMD 57.6

37.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$8.84 JMD 1,390

-50.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$11.28 JMD 1,774

71.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.76 JMD 435

-35.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$3.15 JMD 496

-13.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.09 JMD 171

177.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$3.11 JMD 490

-68.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.34 JMD 997

122.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.27 JMD 200

7.09%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$43.0K JMD 6.8M

-34.39%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$34.0K JMD 5.3M

-3.14%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$163 JMD 25.6K

-25.25%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$21.93 JMD 3,449

-38.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$50.4 JMD 7,918

-63.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$13.12 JMD 2,062

-33.77%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$225 JMD 35.4K

208.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$2,515 JMD 395.5K

523.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$26.26 JMD 4,129

126.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$26.02 JMD 4,091

33.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

61.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$75.7 JMD 11.9K

9.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Golden Grove: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $61.0 in Golden Grove for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 46% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $864 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 $1,296 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 15% 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 $864 in Golden Grove – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $864 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 46% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.