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 $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $775 in La Marsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,371 in La Marsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,967 in La Marsa, rent included.

Phuket costs about 63% more than La Marsa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and La Marsa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, La Marsa 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.44 TND 10.09

30.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$22.43 TND 65.8

103.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$4.05 TND 11.88

116.30%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$0.76 TND 2.24

290.79%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.60 TND 1.75

15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.23 TND 0.67

69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.53 TND 4.50

65.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.60 TND 7.63

44.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.50 TND 1.48

330.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.19 TND 0.56

857.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.48 TND 4.33

47.30%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.65 TND 4.84

36.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$11.15 TND 32.71

79.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.53 TND 16.23

-34.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$13.45 TND 39.46

0.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.89 TND 5.55

71.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.95 TND 8.66

-44.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.05 TND 3.09

121.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.68 TND 1.98

204.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.67 TND 1.97

131.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.48 TND 1.40

204.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.37 TND 1.08

164.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.27 TND 0.79

77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$3.48 TND 10.21

25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$6.57 TND 19.29

182.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.11 TND 3.25

67.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.10 TND 3.22

140.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.33 TND 0.97

330.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$6.66 TND 19.53

73.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.31 TND 0.92

922.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.22 TND 0.65

368.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$4.12 TND 12.10

237.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.82 TND 2.42

63.41%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$35.1K TND 103.0K

-20.81%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$27.6K TND 80.9K

21.15%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$35.23 TND 103

249.28%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$9.87 TND 28.96

39.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$14.66 TND 43.03

25.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$45.21 TND 133

34.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$7.45 TND 21.86

130.34%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$4.52 TND 13.25

96.24%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$84.9 TND 249

709.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$2,399 TND 7,041

557.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$44.13 TND 130

34.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$44.53 TND 131

-22.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$88.8 TND 261

29.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$65.0 TND 191

28.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$345 TND 1,013

79.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$284 TND 834

56.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$781 TND 2,291

160.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$836 TND 2,454

78.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,807 TND 5,302

91.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,020 TND 2,993

148.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$341 TND 1,002

44.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

13.6

-60.81%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for La Marsa: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $345 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $22.00 in La Marsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $184 – 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 63%, 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,163 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 $1,264 in Phuket and $775 in La Marsa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 74% 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 $775, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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.