Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Green Island Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Green Island

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $899 in Green Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,446 in Green Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,994 in Green Island.

Living in Phuket is roughly 40% more expensive than Green Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Green Island 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$7.68 JMD 1,208

-40.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,535

$62.8 JMD 9,878

-25.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿279

$8.72 JMD 1,372

-2.87%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿99.7

$4.42 JMD 695

-31.45%

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

$0.69 ฿22.69

$1.31 JMD 207

-47.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.76 JMD 119

-51.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.9

$2.49 JMD 391

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.20 JMD 504

14.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.8

$4.36 JMD 686

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.6

$3.67 JMD 577

-48.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿72.4

$1.55 JMD 244

41.94%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿73.2

$3.57 JMD 562

-37.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿658

$11.26 JMD 1,771

77.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿121

$6.44 JMD 1,013

-43.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿436

$7.67 JMD 1,206

72.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿106

$5.89 JMD 927

-45.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.9

$3.09 JMD 486

-44.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.8

$4.21 JMD 662

-43.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$2.89 JMD 455

-28.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.4

$2.10 JMD 331

-24.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.83

$2.01 JMD 317

-26.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.90

$3.13 JMD 493

-67.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.01

$1.45 JMD 228

-64.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿140

$8.83 JMD 1,389

-51.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿618

$11.34 JMD 1,784

65.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.78 JMD 437

-36.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.8

$3.05 JMD 480

-9.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿103

$1.07 JMD 168

193.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿34.10

$3.25 JMD 512

-68.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿453

$6.17 JMD 970

123.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.26

$1.29 JMD 203

3.88%

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

$27.7K ฿911.1K

$42.3K JMD 6.7M

-34.57%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

1.81%

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

$124 ฿4,069

$165 JMD 25.9K

-25.02%

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

$13.52 ฿445

$22.16 JMD 3,486

-38.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿615

$49.98 JMD 7,862

-62.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿568

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿301

$13.07 JMD 2,055

-30.07%

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

$703 ฿23.1K

$224 JMD 35.3K

213.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿522.5K

$2,478 JMD 389.7K

540.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,958

$26.45 JMD 4,160

124.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,154

$25.69 JMD 4,041

36.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,795

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

65.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,767

$75.3 JMD 11.8K

11.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿120.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿86.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.7K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Green Island: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $63.0 in Green Island for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $352 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 Green Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Green Island differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $899 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,348 in Green Island 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 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $899 in Green Island – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $899 in Green Island versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Green Island but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Green Island 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 Green Island 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 Green Island gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.