Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Granada, Nicaragua

For one person, living is cheaper in Granada: $916 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Granada, Nicaragua
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Granada
🇳🇮 Nicaragua
$916
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Granada

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Granada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $916 in Granada, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Granada $916

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,281 in Granada, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Granada $1,281

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $1,645 in Granada, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Granada $1,645

Phuket costs about 39% more than Granada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Granada are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Granada 33% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Granada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$4.32 NIO 158
3.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$23.86 NIO 874
35.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$7.11 NIO 260
23.91%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$1.70 NIO 62.3
66.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
$0.87 NIO 31.74
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$0.63 NIO 23.10
-22.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$1.33 NIO 48.60
92.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$1.98 NIO 72.7
85.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Granada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$1.25 NIO 45.96
32.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$1.54 NIO 56.5
-5.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$0.57 NIO 20.75
163.16%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$1.23 NIO 44.87
69.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$4.82 NIO 176
295.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$5.08 NIO 186
-35.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$7.89 NIO 289
38.28%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$4.06 NIO 149
-27.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$0.57 NIO 20.99
196.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.78 NIO 65.2
26.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$1.01 NIO 37.06
105.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$2.78 NIO 102
-45.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
$1.02 NIO 37.42
35.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$1.01 NIO 37.08
5.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$1.06 NIO 38.76
-50.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$2.70 NIO 98.7
55.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$10.07 NIO 369
86.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.47 NIO 53.8
23.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$1.72 NIO 63.0
65.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Granada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
$0.09 NIO 3.47
1511.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
$4.11 NIO 150
1278.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$0.58 NIO 21.18
420.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
$1.67 NIO 61.1
-38.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$6.97 NIO 255
-47.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
$1.27 NIO 46.58
15.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$23.3K NIO 852.6K
15.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$26.4K NIO 968.5K
0.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Granada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$152 NIO 5,566
-36.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$19.39 NIO 710
-41.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$32.83 NIO 1,202
-48.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Granada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$8.85 NIO 324
-15.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Granada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$233 NIO 8,547
103.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$5,984 NIO 219.2K
88.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Granada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
$15.06 NIO 552
314.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$30.58 NIO 1,120
-7.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$34.76 NIO 1,273
171.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$35.08 NIO 1,285
144.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Granada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$417 NIO 15.3K
71.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$344 NIO 12.6K
42.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
$787 NIO 28.8K
144.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$506 NIO 18.5K
182.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Granada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$133 NIO 4,858
278.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
11.92
-53.27%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Granada: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Granada
$344 30% $147
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Granada
$193 27.6% $74
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Granada
$204 64.1% $80
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Granada
$52 57.4% $70
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Granada
$93 23.6% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Granada
$18 * 78.5% $65
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Granada
$13 81% $57

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $417 in Granada. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Phuket are about 3.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $24 in Granada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $193 – making Granada the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇳🇮 Granada
🕒 Local time
22:28 10:28 PM
09:28 9:28 AM
13 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
128,937
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

NIO, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Nicaraguan Córdoba exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 36.62 NIO (100 NIO = 2.73 USD). 1 EUR = 40.76 NIO (100 NIO = 2.45 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Granada 17,760 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Granada

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Granada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and in Granada compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,278 in Phuket, $916 in Granada – roughly 39% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Granada?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $1,375 in Granada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Granada?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Granada, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $417 there versus $716 in Phuket.
How do commuting costs compare in Phuket and in Granada?
Public transport costs about 93% less in Granada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Granada?
Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $233 in Granada. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Granada, where all-in costs run around $916, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Granada it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Granada?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $916 in Granada to $1,278 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Granada safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Phuket and Granada?
If budget matters most, go with Granada. 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.

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