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: $1,247 in Phuket versus $875 in Green Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,445 in Green Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Phuket versus $2,014 in Green Island.

Living in Phuket is roughly 42% more expensive than Green Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 7% lower, Green Island 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 ฿147

$7.65 JMD 1,211

-40.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.83 ฿1,500

$63.1 JMD 9,978

-25.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿279

$8.90 JMD 1,409

-2.25%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ฿93.7

$4.45 JMD 704

-34.38%

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

$0.68 ฿21.90

$1.37 JMD 217

-50.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.69

$0.75 JMD 118

-46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿80.3

$2.49 JMD 394

0.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿122

$3.15 JMD 499

20.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ฿69.2

$4.43 JMD 701

-51.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 ฿60.3

$3.64 JMD 577

-48.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ฿69.1

$1.62 JMD 256

33.33%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿71.1

$3.44 JMD 544

-35.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.57 ฿627

$11.15 JMD 1,764

75.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ฿122

$6.45 JMD 1,021

-41.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 ฿430

$7.52 JMD 1,191

78.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ฿104

$6.06 JMD 959

-46.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.6

$3.05 JMD 482

-47.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿73.9

$4.28 JMD 678

-46.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ฿65.9

$2.95 JMD 466

-30.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.4

$2.03 JMD 321

-20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ฿46.23

$1.95 JMD 308

-26.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿32.99

$3.06 JMD 485

-66.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.38

$1.44 JMD 228

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿144

$8.55 JMD 1,354

-47.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 ฿614

$11.58 JMD 1,833

65.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$2.77 JMD 438

-34.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ฿86.2

$3.04 JMD 481

-11.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 ฿44.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿99.5

$1.09 JMD 172

185.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.16

$3.25 JMD 515

-69.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.74 ฿440

$6.10 JMD 966

125.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.58

$1.25 JMD 197

4.00%

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

$27.4K ฿876.5K

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

-35.84%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

-3.48%

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

$125 ฿4,001

$164 JMD 26.0K

-23.85%

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

$13.74 ฿440

$22.48 JMD 3,558

-38.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 ฿596

$50.2 JMD 7,947

-62.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ฿1,940

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿549

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ฿289

$13.13 JMD 2,078

-31.38%

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

$698 ฿22.4K

$228 JMD 36.2K

205.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿516.2K

$2,498 JMD 395.4K

544.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ฿1,897

$25.89 JMD 4,097

128.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.86 ฿1,117

$25.22 JMD 3,992

38.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ฿3,659

$72.1 JMD 11.4K

58.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,749

$74.7 JMD 11.8K

14.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿19.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 ฿66.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿48.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 ฿120.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,694 ฿86.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 ฿16.9K

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Green Island: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $0 in Green Island. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Phuket vs $63 in Green Island for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 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 42% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $875 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,870 in Phuket and $1,313 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 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,247 per month in Phuket versus $875 in Green Island – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $875 in Green Island versus $1,247 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 42% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.