😐A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $815 in Manglaralto, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,183 in Manglaralto, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,550 in Manglaralto, rent included.
😐Phuket costs about 55% more than Manglaralto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Phuket and Manglaralto are more affordable than the global median – Phuket5% lower, Manglaralto39% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Manglaralto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$3.53$3.53
26.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,521
$20.23$20.23
125.36%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿292
$5.52$5.52
58.70%
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.0
$1.80$1.80
65.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.90
$0.52$0.52
32.69%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.04
$0.42$0.42
-7.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.4
$1.95$1.95
29.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
$3.53$3.53
6.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Manglaralto
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.6
$0.99$0.99
117.17%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.6
$0.92$0.92
97.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿72.9
$1.22$1.22
78.69%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.0
$1.48$1.48
52.03%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿667
$4.53$4.53
341.50%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$4.03$4.03
-9.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿452
$6.15$6.15
120.49%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿108
$1.46$1.46
121.92%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.6
$1.06$1.06
54.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿77.8
$1.04$1.04
124.04%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.1
$1.08$1.08
91.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$0.52$0.52
198.08%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.54
$0.76$0.76
92.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.86
$0.44$0.44
122.73%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$1.01$1.01
-52.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿145
$4.90$4.90
-11.22%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿620
$12.12$12.12
53.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿61.9
$1.27$1.27
46.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.6
$2.12$2.12
25.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Manglaralto
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.28
$0.33$0.33
330.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿386
$23.51$23.51
-50.79%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$1.52$1.52
108.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.41
$1.01$1.01
1.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿463
$9.83$9.83
41.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.84
$0.64$0.64
109.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿927.1K
$21.3K$21.3K
30.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$27.4K$27.4K
21.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Manglaralto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,105
$37.91$37.91
224.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿459
$10.08$10.08
36.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿611
$32.35$32.35
-43.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Manglaralto
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,025
$29.87$29.87
103.18%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿573
$14.84$14.84
15.63%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿296
$5.90$5.90
50.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Manglaralto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿22.9K
$253$253
171.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿526.4K
$5,841$5,841
170.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Manglaralto
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,978
$30.40$30.40
95.07%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,157
$42.78$42.78
-18.91%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,843
$103$103
12.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,794
$35.86$35.86
133.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Manglaralto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.7K
$348$348
78.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$318$318
40.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿67.8K
$629$629
223.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿49.9K
$495$495
202.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.3K
$1,144$1,144
202.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.4K
$862$862
193.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Manglaralto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
9.35
-42.99%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Last update for Manglaralto: July 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $348 in Manglaralto. 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 $20.00 in Manglaralto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $157 – making Manglaralto 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 Manglaralto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Manglaralto cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,222 in Manglaralto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Manglaralto, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 103% less in Manglaralto. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $253 in Manglaralto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Manglaralto?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Manglaralto, where all-in costs run around $815, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Manglaralto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Manglaralto more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Manglaralto – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Manglaralto?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Manglaralto. 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.