Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Leon Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Leon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $709 in Leon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,126 in Leon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,543 in Leon, rent included.

Phuket costs about 76% more than Leon, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Leon are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Leon 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.99 NIO 183

-8.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$35.06 NIO 1,284

31.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$6.90 NIO 253

28.12%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.37 NIO 86.9

29.11%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.80 NIO 29.28

-8.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.74 NIO 27.26

-45.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.34 NIO 48.93

81.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.01 NIO 73.6

88.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.22 NIO 44.57

85.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.35 NIO 86.2

-22.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.82 NIO 66.7

23.63%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.35 NIO 86.2

-4.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$11.15 NIO 408

74.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.63 NIO 243

-44.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.81 NIO 286

67.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.87 NIO 142

-16.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.90 NIO 32.81

80.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.75 NIO 64.1

36.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.22 NIO 81.2

-8.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$3.84 NIO 141

-60.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.15 NIO 78.6

-30.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.06 NIO 38.76

-7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.02 NIO 37.24

-49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.70 NIO 98.9

64.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$14.72 NIO 539

24.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.46 NIO 53.6

27.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.20 NIO 80.5

21.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.49 NIO 54.4

108.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$6.67 NIO 244

111.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.34 NIO 49.09

-2.24%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$22.7K NIO 829.8K

22.77%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$26.3K NIO 964.4K

26.15%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$97.8 NIO 3,583

25.14%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$17.03 NIO 624

-20.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$36.69 NIO 1,344

-49.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.87 NIO 288

15.25%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$124 NIO 4,531

470.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$5,981 NIO 219.1K

164.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$77.8 NIO 2,851

-24.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$72.9 NIO 2,670

-51.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$135 NIO 4,942

-14.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$106 NIO 3,885

-21.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$400 NIO 14.6K

56.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.25

-48.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Leon: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $400 in Leon. 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $35.00 in Leon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $259 – making Leon 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 Leon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,063 in Leon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Leon, 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 $709 in Leon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $124 in Leon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Leon, where all-in costs run around $709, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Leon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Leon – 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 Leon. 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.