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 $894 in Green Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,450 in Green Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $2,006 in Green Island.

Living in Phuket is roughly 41% more expensive than in 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

$4.53 ฿152

$7.45 JMD 1,174

-39.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,558

$63.7 JMD 10.0K

-27.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿291

$8.68 JMD 1,367

-0.35%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$4.40 JMD 694

-29.77%

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

$0.68 ฿22.79

$1.36 JMD 214

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.38

$0.71 JMD 112

-47.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.2

$2.44 JMD 384

-0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$3.10 JMD 487

22.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.2

$4.29 JMD 676

-49.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.1

$3.63 JMD 572

-49.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.2

$1.63 JMD 257

33.74%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.1

$3.58 JMD 564

-37.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿670

$11.13 JMD 1,752

79.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿122

$6.18 JMD 973

-41.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿456

$7.47 JMD 1,176

81.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$5.88 JMD 925

-44.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$3.05 JMD 480

-44.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.4

$4.27 JMD 673

-45.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.93 JMD 461

-30.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$2.01 JMD 317

-20.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$2.02 JMD 317

-26.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.02

$3.01 JMD 474

-66.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.02

$1.48 JMD 233

-67.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$8.58 JMD 1,351

-48.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿626

$11.54 JMD 1,818

61.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.0

$2.78 JMD 438

-35.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.0

$3.22 JMD 506

-13.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$1.11 JMD 175

178.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.03

$3.25 JMD 512

-68.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿458

$6.34 JMD 999

114.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.03

$1.23 JMD 193

6.50%

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

$27.3K ฿916.6K

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

-36.82%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

-1.25%

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

$123 ฿4,138

$164 JMD 25.8K

-24.89%

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

$13.81 ฿464

$22.27 JMD 3,506

-37.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿622

$51.6 JMD 8,123

-64.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,028

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿564

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿299

$13.28 JMD 2,091

-33.06%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

$226 JMD 35.6K

204.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿522.5K

$2,522 JMD 397.2K

516.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,936

$25.71 JMD 4,048

124.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,165

$25.41 JMD 4,001

36.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,861

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

61.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,853

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

11.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿68.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿119.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Green Island: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $64.0 in Green Island for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $349 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 41% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $894 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,891 in Phuket and $1,341 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 $894 in Green Island – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $894 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 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.