😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $985 in Gyongyos.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,570 in Gyongyos.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,154 in Gyongyos.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 27% more expensive than in Gyongyos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Gyongyos26% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$9.92Ft 3,142
-54.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$43.73Ft 13.9K
5.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$7.92Ft 2,508
11.62%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$1.96Ft 620
56.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$1.37Ft 435
-46.72%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$0.94Ft 297
-57.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$2.37Ft 750
2.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$2.03Ft 644
86.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.05Ft 331
115.24%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$1.23Ft 388
47.15%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$1.54Ft 488
46.10%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$2.11Ft 670
6.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$9.30Ft 2,946
109.78%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$5.93Ft 1,879
-38.45%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$10.99Ft 3,484
18.74%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$1.57Ft 497
105.73%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$1.81Ft 573
-10.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$2.04Ft 647
16.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$4.20Ft 1,330
-51.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$1.08Ft 341
41.67%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$1.30Ft 412
15.38%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$1.33Ft 422
-26.32%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$0.50Ft 158
4.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$7.11Ft 2,252
-37.55%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$4.93Ft 1,563
271.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$1.06Ft 335
75.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
$1.25Ft 395
114.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
$0.75Ft 239
88.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
$17.22Ft 5,457
-32.06%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$2.83Ft 898
9.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$0.92Ft 292
13.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$17.20Ft 5,450
-17.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$1.70Ft 540
-22.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$24.1KFt 7.6M
15.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$20.1KFt 6.4M
65.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$144Ft 45.7K
-15.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$23.11Ft 7,321
-41.19%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$17.13Ft 5,429
9.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
$32.48Ft 10.3K
86.24%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
$8.80Ft 2,790
92.95%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$5.74Ft 1,818
58.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$452Ft 143.2K
56.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$6,701Ft 2.1M
135.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$85.5Ft 27.1K
-31.54%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$14.17Ft 4,491
149.54%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$73.1Ft 23.2K
57.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$72.8Ft 23.1K
15.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
$391Ft 123.8K
60.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$258Ft 81.9K
72.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
$561Ft 177.7K
263.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$551Ft 174.6K
170.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
$3,148Ft 997.5K
10.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
$2,729Ft 864.8K
-5.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Gyongyos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
$783Ft 248.1K
-36.17%
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: July 12, 2026
Last update for Gyongyos: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $391 in Gyongyos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Gyongyos pays 57% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Gyongyos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 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 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Gyongyos?
On paper, salaries run 57% 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: $626 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 in Gyongyos?
Supermarket bills run roughly 37% 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 $44.00 versus $46.00 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 $985 in Gyongyos versus $1,250 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 27% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.