Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Maia Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Maia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $2,407 in Maia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,840 in Maia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $3,274 in Maia, rent included.

Phuket is about 47% cheaper than Maia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Maia is 80% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$11.41 €9.90

-58.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,488

$45.38 €39.36

-0.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$9.01 €7.82

-6.44%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.0

$2.09 €1.81

40.19%

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

$0.69 ฿22.48

$1.98 €1.72

-65.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$1.42 €1.23

-73.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.34 €2.03

2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.37 €2.92

10.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.2

$1.11 €0.96

100.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.44 €1.25

27.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$1.72 €1.49

26.16%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$3.02 €2.62

-26.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿647

$11.42 €9.91

72.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.42 €6.44

-51.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$13.89 €12.05

-2.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.26 €1.96

45.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.8

$1.55 €1.34

3.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.95 €1.69

23.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.3

$2.37 €2.05

-12.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.1

$1.65 €1.43

-7.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.56

$1.83 €1.59

-19.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.42

$1.49 €1.29

-33.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.73

$0.85 €0.74

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$6.15 €5.33

-28.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$5.83 €5.06

232.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.3

$1.15 €1.00

54.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.9

$2.29 €1.98

18.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.96

$2.61 €2.26

-47.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$45.49 €39.46

-74.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.0

$4.10 €3.56

-26.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.61

$0.75 €0.65

32.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿462

$14.72 €12.77

-4.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.68

$1.93 €1.68

-29.53%

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

$28.2K ฿924.7K

$34.1K €29.6K

-17.25%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$39.9K €34.6K

-17.57%

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

$122 ฿3,991

$138 €120

-11.95%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$22.20 €19.26

-38.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿600

$39.26 €34.06

-53.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,975

$46.77 €40.58

28.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

$35.33 €30.65

-51.49%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$8.90 €7.72

-2.36%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$287 €249

141.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.4K

$8,256 €7,162

90.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,952

$73.4 €63.7

-18.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,140

$34.24 €29.70

1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,758

$92.9 €80.6

23.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,731

$110 €95.4

-24.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$1,113 €965

-44.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$1,507 €1,307

-70.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$1,764 €1,530

18.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$1,254 €1,088

20.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.9K

$3,164 €2,745

18.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$1,714 €1,487

52.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$1,484 €1,287

-65.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.43

-1.84%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Maia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $1,113 in Maia. 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 192% higher in Maia, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $45.00 in Maia. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $244 in Maia – so Maia 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 Maia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maia costs about 90% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $3,610 in Maia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $45.00 in Maia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $2,407 in Maia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Maia at $2,407. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $2,407 in Maia. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Maia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.