Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and High Level Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and High Level

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,363 in High Level.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,362 in High Level.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $4,361 in High Level.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 46% less than in High Level, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, High Level is 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$16.89 CA$23.47

-72.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$70.7 CA$98.3

-35.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$10.94 CA$15.19

-22.94%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$3.76 CA$5.22

-22.07%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.99 CA$2.76

-65.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.67 CA$2.32

-77.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$5.60 CA$7.78

-56.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.85 CA$8.12

-36.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$2.09 CA$2.91

6.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.61 CA$3.63

-29.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$3.64 CA$5.05

-40.38%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$3.48 CA$4.83

-36.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$10.99 CA$15.27

79.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$11.64 CA$16.17

-68.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$14.67 CA$20.38

-7.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.95 CA$5.49

-16.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.41 CA$1.95

14.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$3.66 CA$5.08

-34.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.84 CA$5.33

-45.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$2.51 CA$3.49

-39.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$2.50 CA$3.47

-40.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$2.62 CA$3.64

-62.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.77 CA$2.45

-71.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$13.78 CA$19.14

-68.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$11.82 CA$16.42

63.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.80 CA$3.89

-36.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$3.04 CA$4.23

-10.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$2.40 CA$3.34

-42.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$61.9 CA$86.1

-81.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$3.24 CA$4.51

-6.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$1.48 CA$2.06

-33.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$25.67 CA$35.66

-45.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.15 CA$1.60

18.26%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$25.3K CA$35.1K

11.48%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.0K CA$29.2K

56.59%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$140 CA$195

-13.30%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$43.21 CA$60.0

-68.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$63.1 CA$87.7

-71.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$41.85 CA$58.1

43.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$11.57 CA$16.08

-24.89%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$723 CA$1,005

-4.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$11.8K CA$16.3K

33.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$55.1 CA$76.5

8.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$39.43 CA$54.8

-11.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$86.3 CA$120

32.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$108 CA$150

-23.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$1,327 CA$1,843

-53.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$1,185 CA$1,646

-63.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$2,025 CA$2,814

3.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,805 CA$2,508

-16.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$4,894 CA$6,799

-23.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$4,084 CA$5,674

-35.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.46

-17.49%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for High Level: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,327 in High Level. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $71.0 in High Level for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $361 per month, with Phuket 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 High Level: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and High Level differ by about 87% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $2,363 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $3,545 in High Level to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,327 in High Level. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $2,363 in High Level – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 444% less than in High Level. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,363 in High Level, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in High Level. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket 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 High Level 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in High Level. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.