Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Las Tablas

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Tablas: $458 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Las Tablas

🇵🇦 Panama

$458

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Las Tablas

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Las Tablas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Phuket vs $458 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Phuket $1,294
Las Tablas $458

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Phuket vs $681 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Phuket $2,204
Las Tablas $681

A family of three spends $3,115 per month in Phuket vs $904 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Phuket $3,115
Las Tablas $904

Phuket costs about 182% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Las Tablas are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 4% lower, Las Tablas 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ฿147

$10.08 PAB 10.08

-56.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.31 ฿1,078

$29.60 PAB 29.60

9.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿290

$8.75 PAB 8.75

-0.57%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿90.9

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

$0.93 ฿31.06

$1.02 PAB 1.02

-8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.67

$1.02 PAB 1.02

-50.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.5

$1.24 PAB 1.24

104.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$2.71 PAB 2.71

33.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.1

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.42

$1.97 PAB 1.97

-26.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.1

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.5

$2.06 PAB 2.06

5.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.09 ฿637

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿113

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿364

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ฿98.2

$4.38 PAB 4.38

-32.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.5

$1.29 PAB 1.29

31.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.2

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿70.9

$1.51 PAB 1.51

40.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.68

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿45.66

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ฿35.91

$1.28 PAB 1.28

-15.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.21

$0.98 PAB 0.98

-43.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿148

Wine (Bottle)

$18.25 ฿609

$5.80 PAB 5.80

214.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.2

$1.30 PAB 1.30

36.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ฿96.2

$1.72 PAB 1.72

67.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,832

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ฿50.5

$1.01 PAB 1.01

49.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿25.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.65

$0.94 PAB 0.94

58.51%

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

$26.9K ฿897.3K

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

$26.3K ฿879.4K

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

$97.8 ฿3,265

$147 PAB 147

-33.50%

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

$11.29 ฿377

$22.59 PAB 22.59

-50.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.19 ฿574

$37.18 PAB 37.18

-53.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ฿2,281

$20.02 PAB 20.02

241.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 ฿365

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 ฿248

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

$530 ฿17.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K ฿626.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ฿2,059

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.25 ฿943

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,204

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 ฿2,898

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ฿17.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 ฿65.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ฿46.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,192 ฿139.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 ฿110.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Las Tablas: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$509 39.3%

Las Tablas

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$267 20.6%

Las Tablas

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$126 9.8%

Las Tablas

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$123 9.5%

Las Tablas

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$120 9.2%

Las Tablas

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$83 6.4%

Las Tablas

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$66 5.1%

Las Tablas

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $30 in Las Tablas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $104 – making Las Tablas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇵🇦 Las Tablas

🕒 Local time

04:15 4:15 AM

16:15 4:15 PM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

8,939

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 3 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.38 THB (100 THB = 3 USD). 1 EUR = 37.47 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.891 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Las Tablas 18,270 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Las Tablas

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Las Tablas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 182% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Phuket and $687 in Las Tablas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Phuket and $458 in Las Tablas. That makes Las Tablas about 65% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 158% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Las Tablas, where all-in costs run around $458, than in Phuket at $1,294. In Las Tablas 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 $458 in Las Tablas to $1,294 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.