Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and La Marsa Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and La Marsa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $792 in La Marsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,318 in La Marsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,843 in La Marsa, rent included.

Phuket costs about 56% more than La Marsa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and La Marsa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, La Marsa 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.33 TND 9.65

32.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$20.55 TND 59.6

56.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$5.42 TND 15.71

64.76%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.28 TND 3.72

126.56%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.58 TND 1.68

51.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.26 TND 0.75

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.51 TND 4.37

55.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.11 TND 6.11

76.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.52 TND 1.50

259.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.32 TND 0.94

359.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.34 TND 6.78

-33.76%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.90 TND 5.50

10.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$10.13 TND 29.39

93.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.85 TND 19.88

-50.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$13.35 TND 38.71

-14.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.04 TND 5.91

46.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$3.71 TND 10.75

-54.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.49 TND 4.32

48.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.64 TND 1.87

237.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.56 TND 1.62

171.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.63 TND 1.83

112.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.42 TND 1.22

169.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.31 TND 0.91

77.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.85 TND 11.15

10.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$6.92 TND 20.09

175.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.29 TND 3.74

37.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.66 TND 4.81

67.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.33 TND 0.95

575.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$7.30 TND 21.17

211.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.32 TND 0.94

846.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.43 TND 1.25

137.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$4.03 TND 11.70

-3.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.88 TND 2.56

69.32%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$38.5K TND 111.7K

-30.99%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$32.2K TND 93.3K

-15.99%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$35.46 TND 103

188.97%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$12.86 TND 37.30

-11.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$18.48 TND 53.6

-5.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$42.76 TND 124

21.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$7.25 TND 21.02

52.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$5.55 TND 16.11

38.56%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$60.7 TND 176

823.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$2,657 TND 7,708

332.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$65.2 TND 189

-3.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$72.8 TND 211

-59.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$91.7 TND 266

6.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$94.0 TND 273

-5.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$290 TND 842

154.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$240 TND 697

100.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$710 TND 2,060

196.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$579 TND 1,680

111.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,864 TND 5,406

94.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,034 TND 3,000

151.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$340 TND 987

45.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-60.21%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for La Marsa: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $290 in La Marsa. 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 45% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $21.00 in La Marsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $204 – making La Marsa 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 La Marsa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,188 in La Marsa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Marsa, 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 $792 in La Marsa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 212% less in La Marsa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in La Marsa, where all-in costs run around $792, than in Phuket at $1,232. In La Marsa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward La Marsa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 La Marsa. 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.