😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,009 in Gyongyos.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,577 in Gyongyos.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,146 in Gyongyos.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 25% more expensive than Gyongyos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Gyongyos25% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$10.04Ft 3,063
-53.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$43.66Ft 13.3K
3.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$7.84Ft 2,390
7.53%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$1.96Ft 599
49.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$1.41Ft 430
-51.06%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$0.99Ft 301
-62.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$2.27Ft 693
6.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$2.02Ft 617
84.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.07Ft 327
108.41%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$1.28Ft 390
42.97%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$1.56Ft 475
39.10%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$2.10Ft 642
5.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$9.16Ft 2,793
115.50%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$5.87Ft 1,790
-38.16%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$11.09Ft 3,382
22.00%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$1.56Ft 475
110.26%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$1.77Ft 539
-9.04%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$2.06Ft 630
16.99%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$4.00Ft 1,220
-48.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$1.07Ft 325
42.99%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$1.29Ft 392
14.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$1.33Ft 407
-25.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$0.49Ft 148
4.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$7.02Ft 2,140
-37.18%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$5.17Ft 1,576
274.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.08Ft 331
64.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$1.21Ft 368
123.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$0.70Ft 213
95.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$16.87Ft 5,144
-32.48%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$2.84Ft 867
6.34%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$0.95Ft 288
4.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$17.54Ft 5,348
-19.61%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$1.75Ft 534
-22.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$24.3KFt 7.4M
16.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$19.9KFt 6.1M
65.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$146Ft 44.6K
-16.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$23.15Ft 7,060
-41.38%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$17.09Ft 5,212
7.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$33.09Ft 10.1K
81.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$8.58Ft 2,617
99.77%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$5.81Ft 1,773
49.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$463Ft 141.1K
49.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$6,756Ft 2.1M
132.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$83.4Ft 25.4K
-28.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$14.12Ft 4,306
146.25%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$73.6Ft 22.5K
55.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$71.8Ft 21.9K
16.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$391Ft 119.2K
56.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$255Ft 77.6K
71.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$567Ft 173.0K
269.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$538Ft 164.2K
180.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$3,538Ft 1.1M
5.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$2,207Ft 673.2K
18.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$793Ft 241.9K
-35.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
8
-33.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Gyongyos: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $391 in Gyongyos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Gyongyos pays 56% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Gyongyos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $210 per month, with Gyongyos 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 Gyongyos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gyongyos cheaper than Phuket?
Gyongyos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Gyongyos?
On paper, Gyongyos earns 56% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $391 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 Gyongyos?
Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Gyongyos?
Dining out is cheaper in Gyongyos – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Gyongyos?
At $1,009 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 25% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.