😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,055 in Gyongyos.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,689 in Gyongyos.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,322 in Gyongyos.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 20% more expensive than in Gyongyos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Gyongyos23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿154
$10.11Ft 3,168
-53.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22฿1,065
$48.09Ft 15.1K
-33.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿287
$9.32Ft 2,919
-6.87%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿95.8
$2.27Ft 712
27.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.89
$1.60Ft 500
-47.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.16
$1.09Ft 343
-55.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48฿82.0
$2.19Ft 687
13.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿123
$2.21Ft 692
68.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89฿62.3
$1.14Ft 357
65.79%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.54
$1.36Ft 427
3.68%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62฿53.6
$1.77Ft 556
-8.47%
Eggs
$2.24฿74.1
$2.40Ft 753
-6.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.84฿656
$10.12Ft 3,171
96.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿115
$6.65Ft 2,082
-47.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.37฿376
$12.94Ft 4,053
-12.13%
Apples(1kg)
$2.90฿95.8
$1.68Ft 527
72.62%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿57.0
$1.98Ft 621
-13.13%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿75.1
$2.02Ft 634
12.38%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿70.4
$3.55Ft 1,112
-40.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.72
$1.06Ft 331
38.68%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42฿46.92
$1.14Ft 356
24.56%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.25
$1.40Ft 438
-21.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60฿19.76
$0.51Ft 159
17.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31฿142
$7.54Ft 2,361
-42.84%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.60฿615
$5.23Ft 1,638
255.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿59.5
$1.16Ft 365
55.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97฿98.0
$1.45Ft 455
104.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25฿74.2
$0.78Ft 245
188.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.49฿776
$18.67Ft 5,850
25.82%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10฿102
$3.05Ft 954
1.64%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.08฿35.56
$1.14Ft 356
-5.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.87฿128
$18.80Ft 5,890
-79.41%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.43฿47.16
$1.84Ft 576
-22.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿918.0K
$27.1KFt 8.5M
2.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿891.5K
$22.1KFt 6.9M
22.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105฿3,462
$134Ft 41.8K
-21.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39฿376
$22.32Ft 6,992
-48.97%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54฿580
$19.32Ft 6,051
-9.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.3฿1,795
$36.56Ft 11.5K
48.63%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44฿378
$9.70Ft 3,039
17.94%
Cinema Ticket
$7.78฿257
$6.54Ft 2,048
18.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576฿19.0K
$262Ft 82.0K
120.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿382.7K
$6,890Ft 2.2M
68.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6฿2,103
$95.4Ft 29.9K
-33.32%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10฿961
$15.77Ft 4,940
84.53%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.2฿3,179
$80.1Ft 25.1K
20.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0฿2,974
$78.3Ft 24.5K
15.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$733฿24.2K
$429Ft 134.4K
70.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501฿16.5K
$284Ft 88.8K
76.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126฿70.2K
$613Ft 192.2K
246.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,252฿41.4K
$614Ft 192.4K
103.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,534฿116.8K
$3,150Ft 986.7K
12.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,622฿86.6K
$2,729Ft 854.9K
-3.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.8K
$766Ft 239.9K
-33.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
6.67
-16.49%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Last update for Gyongyos: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $429 in Gyongyos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Gyongyos pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $48.00 in Gyongyos. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $227, with Gyongyos cheaper for home cooking.
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 Gyongyos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gyongyos cheaper than Phuket?
Gyongyos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Gyongyos?
On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Gyongyos. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Gyongyos?
Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $429 in Gyongyos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Gyongyos?
Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Gyongyos?
Dining out is cheaper in Gyongyos – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Gyongyos?
At $1,055 in Gyongyos versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gyongyos but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Gyongyos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Gyongyos more family-friendly?
For families, Gyongyos is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Gyongyos?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Gyongyos are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Gyongyos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.