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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $976 in Havana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,540 in Havana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,104 in Havana.

Living in Phuket is roughly 28% more expensive than in Havana, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Havana 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.71 CUP 89.0

22.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,550

$29.50 CUP 708

56.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$6.67 CUP 160

32.53%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.18 CUP 28.38

159.32%

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

$0.73 ฿24.36

$2.26 CUP 54.1

-67.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.37

$1.46 CUP 35.04

-72.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.6

$2.05 CUP 49.10

18.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.56 CUP 61.3

47.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿75.8

$3.27 CUP 78.5

-30.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.8

$1.05 CUP 25.16

72.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$2.41 CUP 57.9

-6.64%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.4

$3.64 CUP 87.4

-38.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿655

$5.05 CUP 121

286.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿122

$5.31 CUP 127

-31.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿438

$9.49 CUP 228

37.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$4.89 CUP 117

-33.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.3

$1.36 CUP 32.72

19.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.0

$2.54 CUP 61.0

-6.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.0

$1.72 CUP 41.33

18.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$2.83 CUP 67.9

-45.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

$2.90 CUP 69.6

-48.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.85

$0.98 CUP 23.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.36

$1.13 CUP 27.18

-53.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.08 CUP 97.9

8.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿615

$4.04 CUP 97.0

353.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$2.02 CUP 48.41

-7.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.0

$2.00 CUP 47.96

34.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.37

$1.27 CUP 30.46

11.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$25.17 CUP 604

-53.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿104

$3.15 CUP 75.5

-1.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.00

$0.51 CUP 12.34

103.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$14.87 CUP 357

-5.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.02

$1.22 CUP 29.36

7.38%

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

$27.8K ฿933.8K

$58.8K CUP 1.4M

-52.71%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$67.6K CUP 1.6M

-50.83%

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

$122 ฿4,110

$37.01 CUP 888

230.83%

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

$13.59 ฿456

$40.52 CUP 972

-66.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿628

$76.1 CUP 1,827

-75.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,031

$41.10 CUP 986

47.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿570

$6.06 CUP 145

180.20%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$0.82 CUP 19.68

1006.10%

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

$706 ฿23.7K

$111 CUP 2,666

535.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿530.5K

$10.0K CUP 240.3K

57.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,965

$39.17 CUP 940

49.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,187

$33.79 CUP 811

4.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,876

$75.8 CUP 1,818

52.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,811

$84.3 CUP 2,023

-0.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$365 CUP 8,750

71.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿14.9K

$287 CUP 6,893

54.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.5K

$1,040 CUP 25.0K

96.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.1K

$601 CUP 14.4K

148.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿116.9K

$327 CUP 7,853

964.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.5K

$405 CUP 9,718

536.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$31.89 CUP 765

1467.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.43

-28.26%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Havana: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $365 in Havana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 1467% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Havana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $243 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 28% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $976 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1467% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $365 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 $30.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $976 in Havana – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $976 in Havana versus $1,250 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 28% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.