Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Male Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Male

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,488 in Male.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $2,416 in Male.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $3,344 in Male.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 15% less than in Male, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Male is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$6.03 MVR 93.0

-22.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$39.37 MVR 607

-18.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$9.61 MVR 148

-9.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 MVR 76.4

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 MVR 76.7

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.52 MVR 54.3

-17.61%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.59 MVR 24.58

-47.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.31 MVR 4.85

58.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.04 MVR 31.46

-7.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.70 MVR 26.18

-17.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.20 MVR 18.50

35.00%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.95 MVR 30.10

14.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$10.84 MVR 167

83.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$5.93 MVR 91.5

-41.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$9.35 MVR 144

21.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.86 MVR 59.5

-24.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$3.11 MVR 48.02

-44.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$4.17 MVR 64.4

-45.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$2.66 MVR 41.05

-19.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.10 MVR 32.32

-30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.91 MVR 29.39

-25.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$2.16 MVR 33.25

-49.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.57 MVR 8.85

5.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.30 MVR 190

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MVR 41.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 MVR 31.11

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$14.59 MVR 225

-70.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.67 MVR 10.29

235.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$30.14 MVR 465

-22.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.98 MVR 30.59

56.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.89 MVR 29.18

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$10.17 MVR 157

-61.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.03 MVR 15.84

38.83%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$32.4K MVR 499.6K

-14.24%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$29.4K MVR 454.0K

-8.36%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$119 MVR 1,831

-11.74%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$29.81 MVR 460

-61.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$74.1 MVR 1,142

-76.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$70.9 MVR 1,094

-23.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$34.22 MVR 528

-66.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$9.75 MVR 150

-20.21%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$181 MVR 2,797

217.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$3,038 MVR 46.8K

281.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$38.85 MVR 599

63.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$48.67 MVR 751

-40.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$85.6 MVR 1,319

12.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$52.1 MVR 803

72.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$940 MVR 14.5K

-21.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$707 MVR 10.9K

-29.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$2,060 MVR 31.8K

3.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$1,532 MVR 23.6K

-18.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$2,269 MVR 35.0K

55.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,389 MVR 21.4K

88.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$824 MVR 12.7K

-38.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-60.21%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Male: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $940 in Male. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 62% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Male. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $234, with Male cheaper for home cooking.

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 Male: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 62% lower in Male. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $940 in Male. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,488 in Male – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 28% less than in Male. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,488 in Male, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Male. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Male, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Male are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.