Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Marsaxlokk

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,023 in Marsaxlokk, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Marsaxlokk, Malta
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Marsaxlokk
🇲🇹 Malta
$2,023
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Marsaxlokk

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Marsaxlokk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,023 in Marsaxlokk.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Marsaxlokk $2,023

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $2,964 in Marsaxlokk.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Marsaxlokk $2,964

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $3,905 in Marsaxlokk.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Marsaxlokk $3,905

Living in Phuket costs roughly 37% less than in Marsaxlokk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Marsaxlokk is 49% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Marsaxlokk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$19.75 €17.62
-77.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$87.0 €77.6
-62.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$13.39 €11.94
-34.20%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$2.63 €2.35
7.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.40
$3.01 €2.68
-71.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$2.25 €2.01
-78.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$4.63 €4.13
-44.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$5.02 €4.48
-26.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Marsaxlokk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.39 €1.24
19.42%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.29
$1.35 €1.21
8.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$4.36 €3.89
-65.60%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$4.33 €3.87
-51.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$8.19 €7.31
132.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$10.32 €9.21
-68.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$17.95 €16.02
-39.22%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.8
$4.12 €3.68
-28.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$2.72 €2.43
-37.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.7
$3.70 €3.30
-39.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$3.46 €3.09
-39.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$2.31 €2.06
-34.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.51
$1.90 €1.70
-27.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.95
$2.39 €2.13
-55.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.50
$1.33 €1.19
-60.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$6.70 €5.98
-37.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$7.94 €7.08
136.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.4
$1.62 €1.45
12.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$2.42 €2.16
17.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Marsaxlokk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.97
$2.55 €2.27
-43.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,911
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$5.48 €4.89
-44.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.32
$2.29 €2.04
-55.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿124
$27.24 €24.31
-86.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.75
$1.46 €1.30
0.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.2K
$37.9K €33.8K
-29.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.3K
$39.0K €34.8K
-31.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Marsaxlokk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,250
$102 €91.2
-5.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$25.33 €22.60
-55.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$43.14 €38.49
-60.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Marsaxlokk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$55.5 €49.49
21.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$9.99 €8.92
-24.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Marsaxlokk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$364 €324
30.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿379.9K
$11.1K €9,895
1.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Marsaxlokk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,103
$88.4 €78.8
-29.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$39.86 €35.56
-28.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,180
$101 €90.4
-6.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,894
$77.0 €68.7
11.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Marsaxlokk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.1K
$1,097 €979
-34.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$1,001 €893
-50.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$1,974 €1,761
-2.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$1,417 €1,264
0.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.8K
$4,350 €3,881
-4.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
$3,312 €2,955
-8.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Marsaxlokk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
2.9
92.07%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Marsaxlokk: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Marsaxlokk
$1K 104% $510
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Marsaxlokk
$326 22.6% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Marsaxlokk
$171 37.1% $46
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Marsaxlokk
$138 13.2% $16
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Marsaxlokk
$284 133% $162
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Marsaxlokk
$75 8.2% $6.8
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Marsaxlokk
$27 * 61.6% $43

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $1,097 in Marsaxlokk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $87 in Marsaxlokk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $326 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇲🇹 Marsaxlokk
🕒 Local time
03:15 3:15 AM
21:15 9:15 PM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
3,500
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Marsaxlokk 8,940 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Marsaxlokk

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Marsaxlokk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Marsaxlokk?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Marsaxlokk. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Marsaxlokk?
You’d need roughly $1,917 in Phuket and $3,034 in Marsaxlokk to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Marsaxlokk?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $1,097 in Marsaxlokk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or in Marsaxlokk?
Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Marsaxlokk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Marsaxlokk?
All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $2,023 in Marsaxlokk – Phuket is about 37% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Marsaxlokk?
At $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,023 in Marsaxlokk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Marsaxlokk. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Phuket or Marsaxlokk?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Phuket compared to Marsaxlokk?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Marsaxlokk are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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