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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $787 in Leon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,369 in Leon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,950 in Leon, rent included.

Phuket costs about 61% more than Leon, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Leon are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Leon 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$10.07 NIO 369

-53.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$38.24 NIO 1,400

-15.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$7.82 NIO 286

11.00%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.46 NIO 90.2

17.89%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.88 NIO 32.25

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.73 NIO 26.88

-32.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.39 NIO 51.1

78.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$1.94 NIO 71.2

92.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.29 NIO 47.14

46.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$2.31 NIO 84.6

-38.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.80 NIO 65.8

-10.00%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.33 NIO 85.3

-3.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$11.70 NIO 429

69.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$6.70 NIO 245

-48.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.37 NIO 270

54.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.82 NIO 140

-24.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.62 NIO 22.56

177.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.83 NIO 67.0

24.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$2.19 NIO 80.2

-2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$3.98 NIO 146

-63.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$2.26 NIO 82.7

-37.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.04 NIO 38.05

5.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.03 NIO 37.58

-41.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.70 NIO 99.0

59.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$14.82 NIO 543

25.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.42 NIO 52.0

26.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.24 NIO 82.0

32.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.59 NIO 58.2

94.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.60 NIO 58.5

-32.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$6.82 NIO 250

-43.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.37 NIO 50.1

4.38%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$23.0K NIO 840.9K

21.02%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$25.9K NIO 950.3K

4.00%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$120 NIO 4,394

-12.66%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$16.75 NIO 613

-32.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$36.41 NIO 1,334

-51.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$8.53 NIO 312

-8.79%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$233 NIO 8,519

147.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$6,021 NIO 220.5K

92.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$70.9 NIO 2,597

-10.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$72.6 NIO 2,659

-59.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$131 NIO 4,808

-26.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$109 NIO 4,002

-17.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$396 NIO 14.5K

85.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$281 NIO 10.3K

345.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.25

-45.66%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Leon: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $396 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $38.00 in Leon. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Phuket vs $258 in Leon – so Leon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 61%, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,181 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 $1,265 in Phuket and $787 in Leon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $233 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 $787, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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.