Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gulbene Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gulbene

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,413 in Gulbene, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,192 in Gulbene, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,971 in Gulbene, rent included.

Phuket is about 10% cheaper than Gulbene, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Gulbene is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$17.24 €14.96

-72.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,488

$68.8 €59.7

-34.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$9.41 €8.16

-10.41%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.0

$3.50 €3.03

-16.29%

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

$0.69 ฿22.48

$1.81 €1.57

-61.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$1.36 €1.18

-72.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$5.74 €4.98

-58.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.95 €5.16

-37.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.2

$1.32 €1.14

68.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.69 €1.46

8.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$2.93 €2.55

-25.94%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$3.21 €2.79

-31.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿647

$12.06 €10.47

63.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.93 €6.88

-54.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$11.65 €10.11

16.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.67 €1.45

96.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.8

$1.84 €1.60

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.66 €2.31

-9.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.3

$3.54 €3.07

-41.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.1

$1.09 €0.94

40.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.56

$1.11 €0.96

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.42

$1.75 €1.52

-43.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.73

$0.89 €0.77

-42.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.86 €5.09

-24.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$7.91 €6.86

145.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.3

$1.85 €1.61

-3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.9

$2.30 €1.99

17.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.96

$0.94 €0.82

45.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$35.78 €31.04

-68.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.0

$2.91 €2.52

3.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.61

$0.79 €0.69

25.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿462

$13.66 €11.85

3.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.68

$1.81 €1.57

-24.86%

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

$28.2K ฿924.7K

$30.9K €26.8K

-8.62%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$31.9K €27.7K

3.13%

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

$122 ฿3,991

$319 €277

-61.86%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$20.40 €17.70

-33.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿600

$20.66 €17.92

-11.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,975

$52.1 €45.16

15.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$11.79 €10.23

-26.29%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$539 €467

28.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.4K

$15.5K €13.4K

1.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,952

$89.8 €77.9

-33.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,140

$46.29 €40.16

-24.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,758

$97.3 €84.4

17.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,731

$137 €119

-39.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$360 €312

70.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$253 €219

72.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$747 €648

180.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$444 €385

240.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.63

15.12%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Gulbene: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $360 in Gulbene. 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $69.0 in Gulbene. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $266 in Gulbene – so Gulbene 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 Gulbene: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $1,413 in Gulbene – roughly 12% apart. Gulbene costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,120 in Gulbene. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Gulbene – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $69.0 in Gulbene. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Gulbene at $1,413. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gulbene it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Phuket to $1,413 in Gulbene. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Gulbene makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.