Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Havana Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Havana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $875 in Havana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,419 in Havana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,964 in Havana.

Living in Phuket is roughly 41% more expensive than in Havana, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Havana 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿146

$3.76 CUP 90.3

17.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,071

$27.33 CUP 656

18.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$4.86 CUP 117

83.74%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.1

$1.14 CUP 27.31

154.39%

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

$0.88 ฿29.22

$1.69 CUP 40.53

-47.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.97

$0.98 CUP 23.54

-51.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.1

$1.64 CUP 39.26

43.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.01 CUP 48.26

85.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿61.9

$3.72 CUP 89.2

-49.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.68

$1.45 CUP 34.79

1.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.5

$2.11 CUP 50.7

-26.54%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.8

$3.65 CUP 87.7

-42.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿650

$4.57 CUP 110

328.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.66 CUP 112

-26.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$8.24 CUP 198

38.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.1

$6.11 CUP 147

-51.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿55.9

$1.10 CUP 26.44

52.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.3

$4.02 CUP 96.6

-45.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.8

$2.34 CUP 56.1

-7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.6

$3.85 CUP 92.4

-60.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.43

$3.96 CUP 95.1

-66.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.47

$0.76 CUP 18.26

48.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.14

$1.46 CUP 35.11

-62.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.02 CUP 48.44

110.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿634

$3.96 CUP 95.1

382.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.1

$1.60 CUP 38.49

11.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.4

$2.12 CUP 51.0

31.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.0

$1.29 CUP 30.87

72.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿755

$22.54 CUP 541

0.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.61 CUP 62.7

16.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿33.96

$0.43 CUP 10.29

137.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$20.15 CUP 484

-80.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.50

$1.31 CUP 31.34

13.74%

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

$26.6K ฿882.5K

$60.4K CUP 1.4M

-55.98%

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

$27.0K ฿897.4K

$59.3K CUP 1.4M

-54.44%

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

$102 ฿3,402

$47.55 CUP 1,141

115.50%

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

$11.33 ฿376

$38.24 CUP 918

-70.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$91.2 CUP 2,188

-80.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,729

$19.37 CUP 465

168.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

$13.03 CUP 313

-15.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿255

$0.89 CUP 21.28

764.04%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$114 CUP 2,739

391.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.0K

$7,139 CUP 171.3K

61.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,093

$36.35 CUP 872

73.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿980

$36.29 CUP 871

-18.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,254

$68.3 CUP 1,639

43.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,938

$56.6 CUP 1,358

56.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$254 CUP 6,088

191.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$215 CUP 5,169

123.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿69.9K

$934 CUP 22.4K

125.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.7K

$544 CUP 13.1K

125.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.1K

$336 CUP 8,074

975.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.4K

$400 CUP 9,601

550.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$32.71 CUP 785

1409.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.1

-38.79%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Havana: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $254 in Havana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 1409% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Havana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $262 per month, with Havana 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 Havana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Havana differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $875 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1409% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $254 in Havana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Havana – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $875 in Havana – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $875 in Havana versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Havana but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Havana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Havana are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Havana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.