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 $715 in Leon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,135 in Leon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,554 in Leon, rent included.

Phuket costs about 77% 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

$4.70 ฿154

$4.83 NIO 177

-2.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$34.97 NIO 1,281

29.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$6.88 NIO 252

22.53%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$2.38 NIO 87.2

23.11%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.86 NIO 31.47

-19.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.73 NIO 26.80

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.27 NIO 46.56

89.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.02 NIO 74.1

84.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.23 NIO 44.91

81.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.48 NIO 90.7

-26.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.86 NIO 68.2

16.67%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.32 NIO 84.9

-4.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.29 NIO 414

74.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.78 NIO 248

-46.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.78 NIO 285

73.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.97 NIO 146

-17.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$0.90 NIO 33.14

78.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.84 NIO 67.4

30.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.17 NIO 79.6

-4.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$4.03 NIO 148

-62.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$2.23 NIO 81.5

-33.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.01 NIO 36.98

-1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.06 NIO 38.81

-51.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.70 NIO 98.9

63.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$14.45 NIO 529

34.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.40 NIO 51.3

27.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.23 NIO 81.8

21.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.53 NIO 56.0

97.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.61 NIO 242

113.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.34 NIO 49.22

1.49%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$23.3K NIO 851.6K

21.29%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.6K NIO 975.4K

23.54%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$99.4 NIO 3,641

22.42%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$16.68 NIO 611

-18.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$37.01 NIO 1,356

-50.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.76 NIO 284

11.98%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$124 NIO 4,553

457.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$5,904 NIO 216.2K

165.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$76.3 NIO 2,795

-22.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$71.6 NIO 2,622

-51.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$133 NIO 4,879

-13.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$110 NIO 4,021

-24.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$398 NIO 14.6K

54.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Leon: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $398 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $35.00 in Leon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $262 – 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 77%, 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 $1,073 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 $715 in Leon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $693 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 $715, 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.