Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ho Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ho

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $687 in Ho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,144 in Ho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,601 in Ho.

Living in Phuket is roughly 79% more expensive than in Ho, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Ho 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$7.90 GHS 90.7

-44.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$53.3 GHS 612

-39.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$10.67 GHS 122

-16.31%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.62 GHS 53.0

-37.23%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.57 GHS 17.98

-43.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.45 GHS 5.15

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.85 GHS 21.25

27.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.25 GHS 25.82

65.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$3.76 GHS 43.16

-50.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.71 GHS 19.64

-14.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$3.08 GHS 35.32

-49.68%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.67 GHS 30.65

-21.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$12.37 GHS 142

58.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$7.19 GHS 82.5

-52.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$9.71 GHS 111

17.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.71 GHS 42.55

-19.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.41 GHS 16.23

19.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.79 GHS 20.54

23.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$3.56 GHS 40.89

-39.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$2.70 GHS 30.97

-43.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.70 GHS 31.05

-50.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.76 GHS 8.73

48.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.62 GHS 7.06

-11.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.63 GHS 30.24

61.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$7.36 GHS 84.5

159.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.24 GHS 14.29

43.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.37 GHS 27.18

17.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.71 GHS 19.65

77.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.28 GHS 14.66

-20.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$4.31 GHS 49.53

-9.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.31 GHS 15.08

13.74%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$7,848 GHS 90.1K

238.71%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$9,778 GHS 112.2K

176.43%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$73.1 GHS 839

40.22%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$19.44 GHS 223

-41.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$43.87 GHS 504

-60.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$13.01 GHS 149

-40.89%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$466 GHS 5,352

20.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$18.5K GHS 211.8K

-37.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$14.54 GHS 167

333.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$19.15 GHS 220

54.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$37.60 GHS 432

160.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$53.8 GHS 617

64.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

26.75

-79.18%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Ho: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $53.0 in Ho for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $281 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 Ho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Ho differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $687 including rent). Ho is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,030 in Ho 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.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $466 in Ho. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ho – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $687 in Ho versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ho but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ho 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 Ho 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 Ho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.