Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Guarda Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Guarda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,594 in Guarda, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $2,332 in Guarda, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $3,069 in Guarda, rent included.

Phuket is about 21% cheaper than Guarda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Phuket sits 5% below the global median, while Guarda is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$10.54 €9.13

-57.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$58.0 €50.2

-21.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$9.24 €8.01

-5.19%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.92 €1.66

54.69%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.84 €1.60

-62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.12 €0.97

-65.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$3.14 €2.72

-19.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.37 €2.92

11.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.06 €0.92

102.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.53 €1.32

18.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.65 €1.42

32.12%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.22 €2.79

-30.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$9.65 €8.35

107.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$8.16 €7.06

-55.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$13.53 €11.72

0.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.07 €1.79

56.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.39 €1.20

17.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.89 €1.63

23.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$2.84 €2.46

-27.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.66 €1.44

-6.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.86 €1.61

-21.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.17 €1.02

-16.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.99 €0.86

-51.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$6.78 €5.87

-35.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$5.00 €4.33

271.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.31 €1.14

41.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.25 €1.94

17.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$2.34 €2.03

-39.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$41.74 €36.14

-72.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$4.35 €3.76

-27.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.63 €1.41

-36.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$17.39 €15.06

-20.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$2.01 €1.74

-33.33%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$37.3K €32.3K

-25.41%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$39.4K €34.1K

-15.20%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$142 €123

-13.38%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$17.20 €14.90

-19.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$46.11 €39.93

-60.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$43.36 €37.55

39.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.97 €6.03

27.26%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$341 €296

101.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$10.3K €8,943

52.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$34.32 €29.72

72.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$37.88 €32.80

-8.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$86.9 €75.3

32.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$100 €87.0

-16.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$943 €816

-34.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$724 €627

-38.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$1,484 €1,285

37.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$1,157 €1,002

29.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,372 €1,188

151.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.15

3.50%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Guarda: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $943 in Guarda. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $58.0 in Guarda. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Phuket vs $242 in Guarda – so Guarda wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Guarda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guarda costs about 26% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $2,392 in Guarda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $58.0 in Guarda. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $1,594 in Guarda. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,264, than in Guarda at $1,594. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guarda it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,264 versus $1,594 in Guarda. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Guarda makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.