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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,030 in Green Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,692 in Green Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,353 in Green Island.

Living in Phuket is roughly 23% more expensive than in Green Island, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Green Island 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$15.56 JMD 2,444

-70.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$74.6 JMD 11.7K

-56.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$8.92 JMD 1,401

-2.69%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$5.43 JMD 852

-46.59%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.24 JMD 195

-32.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.68 JMD 107

-27.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.15 JMD 337

15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.08 JMD 484

21.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$4.06 JMD 638

-53.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$3.80 JMD 596

-62.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.65 JMD 259

-1.82%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.50 JMD 549

-36.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$11.23 JMD 1,764

76.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$6.34 JMD 996

-45.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$10.14 JMD 1,594

12.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$6.09 JMD 957

-52.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$4.01 JMD 629

-57.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$7.45 JMD 1,170

-69.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$3.00 JMD 471

-29.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$3.24 JMD 508

-54.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$2.63 JMD 414

-46.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$3.14 JMD 493

-64.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.52 JMD 239

-60.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$9.61 JMD 1,509

-55.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$11.46 JMD 1,800

62.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.84 JMD 447

-36.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$4.03 JMD 633

-26.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.22 JMD 191

154.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$3.23 JMD 508

-66.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$6.13 JMD 963

-36.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.40 JMD 220

2.14%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$45.0K JMD 7.1M

-38.20%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

-18.32%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$173 JMD 27.2K

-39.37%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$29.14 JMD 4,578

-60.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$54.0 JMD 8,474

-67.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$13.47 JMD 2,116

-42.24%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$358 JMD 56.2K

61.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$8,105 JMD 1.3M

42.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$23.80 JMD 3,739

167.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$31.78 JMD 4,991

-8.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$77.3 JMD 12.1K

24.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$104 JMD 16.4K

-13.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Green Island: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $75.0 in Green Island for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $385 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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $1,030 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,545 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 40% 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 $1,030 in Green Island – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,030 in Green Island versus $1,265 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 23% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.