Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Koh Chang Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Koh Chang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $986 in Koh Chang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,771 in Koh Chang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,556 in Koh Chang, rent included.

Phuket costs about 25% more than Koh Chang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Koh Chang are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Koh Chang 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.66 ฿120

26.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$37.12 ฿1,214

26.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$6.89 ฿225

28.30%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.46 ฿80.4

21.95%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.59 ฿19.28

25.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.29 ฿9.32

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.00 ฿65.4

22.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.89 ฿94.4

24.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.95 ฿63.8

15.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.69 ฿55.2

8.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.01 ฿65.7

11.44%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.99 ฿65.0

16.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$17.70 ฿579

11.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.39 ฿111

7.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$11.84 ฿387

10.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.91 ฿95.2

16.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.53 ฿49.95

7.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.07 ฿67.7

16.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.89 ฿61.7

7.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.45 ฿47.37

7.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.35 ฿44.08

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.93 ฿30.48

9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.43 ฿14.10

13.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$3.86 ฿126

15.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$17.39 ฿569

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.68 ฿54.8

5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.39 ฿78.3

15.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$1.14 ฿37.20

22.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.42 ฿79.0

28.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.78 ฿25.59

28.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$11.14 ฿364

26.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.08 ฿35.23

25.00%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$22.4K ฿733.0K

21.26%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.7K ฿872.2K

23.42%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$118 ฿3,865

5.74%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$12.83 ฿420

5.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$17.68 ฿578

4.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$52.1 ฿1,704

18.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$14.32 ฿468

17.60%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$7.73 ฿253

18.89%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$628 ฿20.5K

11.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$14.2K ฿463.6K

9.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$56.7 ฿1,854

1.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$33.40 ฿1,092

5.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$108 ฿3,539

4.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$79.9 ฿2,612

8.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$401 ฿13.1K

53.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$289 ฿9,452

54.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$1,318 ฿43.1K

55.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$960 ฿31.4K

55.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$2,454 ฿80.2K

53.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,721 ฿56.3K

53.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Koh Chang: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $401 in Koh Chang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $37.00 in Koh Chang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $263 – making Koh Chang 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 Koh Chang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $986 in Koh Chang – roughly 25% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,479 in Koh Chang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Koh Chang, 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $986 in Koh Chang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $628 in Koh Chang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Koh Chang, where all-in costs run around $986, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Koh Chang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $986 in Koh Chang to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Koh Chang. 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.