Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hua Hin Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hua Hin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $893 in Hua Hin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,431 in Hua Hin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,968 in Hua Hin, rent included.

Phuket costs about 40% more than Hua Hin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Phuket and Hua Hin are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Hua Hin 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.11 ฿105

46.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$19.87 ฿669

132.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$8.51 ฿287

3.88%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.99 ฿67.1

53.77%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.68 ฿22.96

7.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.51 ฿17.01

-21.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.03 ฿68.3

19.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.67 ฿124

3.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.49 ฿50.1

51.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.97 ฿66.3

-8.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.11 ฿37.41

102.70%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.84 ฿62.0

22.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$13.12 ฿441

48.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$2.72 ฿91.5

34.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$14.29 ฿481

-8.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.57 ฿86.5

25.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.73 ฿24.73

121.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.83 ฿61.6

30.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.50 ฿50.4

35.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.69 ฿57.0

-9.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.22 ฿41.13

22.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.80 ฿27.03

22.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.42 ฿14.11

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.63 ฿156

-4.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$14.14 ฿476

29.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.65 ฿55.5

12.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$3.64 ฿122

-26.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.44 ฿14.97

220.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$12.45 ฿419

-6.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.07 ฿35.87

190.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$0.75 ฿25.35

38.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$5.47 ฿184

157.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.30 ฿43.77

0.77%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$19.7K ฿663.3K

41.10%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.3K ฿717.9K

55.69%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$73.8 ฿2,483

65.91%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$12.86 ฿433

5.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$22.45 ฿755

-16.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$47.27 ฿1,591

27.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$5.50 ฿185

208.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.64 ฿257

18.72%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$138 ฿4,637

412.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$19.8K ฿666.7K

-20.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$19.70 ฿663

197.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$24.28 ฿817

45.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$62.8 ฿2,114

83.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$58.0 ฿1,951

44.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$410 ฿13.8K

52.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$292 ฿9,810

52.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$1,009 ฿34.0K

102.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$656 ฿22.1K

127.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$1,793 ฿60.3K

94.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,420 ฿47.8K

81.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$473 ฿15.9K

5.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.17

-13.61%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hua Hin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $410 in Hua Hin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $20.00 in Hua Hin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $234 – making Hua Hin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Hua Hin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 40% more than Hua Hin, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,340 in Hua Hin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hua Hin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,250 in Phuket and $893 in Hua Hin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Hua Hin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hua Hin, where all-in costs run around $893, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Hua Hin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hua Hin costs $893 versus $1,250 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hua Hin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.