Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Martin Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Martin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $1,475 in Martin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $2,091 in Martin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $2,706 in Martin.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 14% less than in Martin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Martin is 10% above.

Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Phuket
Martin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66 āļŋ150
$9.40 ₮8.02
-50.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44 āļŋ1,496
$46.99 ₮40.08
-1.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.68 āļŋ280
$9.20 ₮7.85
-5.65%
Cappuccino
$2.95 āļŋ95.0
$2.93 ₮2.50
0.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 āļŋ22.52
$1.77 ₮1.51
-60.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 āļŋ12.70
$1.34 ₮1.15
-70.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 āļŋ81.6
$2.08 ₮1.78
21.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 āļŋ122
$2.29 ₮1.95
65.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Martin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 āļŋ71.5
$1.09 ₮0.93
103.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.80 āļŋ57.8
$1.40 ₮1.19
28.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 āļŋ70.4
$2.05 ₮1.75
6.83%
Eggs
$2.31 āļŋ74.5
$3.57 ₮3.04
-35.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.34 āļŋ623
$15.94 ₮13.59
21.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 āļŋ121
$8.04 ₮6.86
-53.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.22 āļŋ426
$13.25 ₮11.30
-0.23%
Apples (1kg)
$3.33 āļŋ107
$1.23 ₮1.05
170.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 āļŋ53.1
$1.73 ₮1.47
-4.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.29 āļŋ73.7
$2.39 ₮2.04
-4.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 āļŋ64.1
$2.15 ₮1.84
-7.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 āļŋ49.24
$1.41 ₮1.20
8.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 āļŋ48.77
$1.75 ₮1.50
-13.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 āļŋ33.12
$1.66 ₮1.42
-37.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 āļŋ16.57
$0.81 ₮0.69
-37.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 āļŋ142
$6.01 ₮5.12
-26.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.41 āļŋ625
$4.84 ₮4.13
301.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 āļŋ58.0
$1.06 ₮0.90
69.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 āļŋ86.4
$2.31 ₮1.97
16.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Martin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.43 āļŋ46.11
$1.44 ₮1.23
-0.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.70 āļŋ377
$29.48 ₮25.15
-60.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 āļŋ97.9
$1.35 ₮1.15
125.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 āļŋ33.37
$1.24 ₮1.05
-16.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.68 āļŋ441
$23.44 ₮19.99
-41.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 āļŋ41.85
$1.75 ₮1.50
-25.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K āļŋ898.9K
$23.5K ₮20.1K
18.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K āļŋ1.1M
$25.4K ₮21.6K
30.26%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Martin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 āļŋ3,962
$305 ₮260
-59.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82 āļŋ445
$28.09 ₮23.96
-50.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86 āļŋ608
$12.56 ₮10.71
50.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Martin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.2 āļŋ1,970
$38.34 ₮32.70
59.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81 āļŋ541
$17.57 ₮14.99
-4.33%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87 āļŋ286
$9.61 ₮8.20
-7.70%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Martin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$696 āļŋ22.4K
$346 ₮295
101.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K āļŋ517.4K
$7,324 ₮6,248
119.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Martin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3 āļŋ1,910
$70.7 ₮60.3
-16.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85 āļŋ1,123
$13.66 ₮11.65
155.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 āļŋ3,646
$75.8 ₮64.6
49.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1 āļŋ2,740
$108 ₮92.5
-21.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Martin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$615 āļŋ19.8K
$530 ₮452
16.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$448 āļŋ14.4K
$481 ₮410
-6.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,085 āļŋ67.2K
$774 ₮660
169.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 āļŋ48.2K
$690 ₮588
116.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,734 āļŋ120.3K
$2,453 ₮2,092
52.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,662 āļŋ85.8K
$1,800 ₮1,535
47.88%
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Martin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$534 āļŋ17.2K
$1,577 ₮1,345
-66.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
4.39
21.41%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Martin: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $530 in Martin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Martin pays 196% 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: $46 in Phuket vs $47 in Martin. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $256, with Martin 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 Martin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Martin cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Martin?
On paper, Martin earns 196% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Martin?
Rent for a central apartment: $615 in Phuket versus $530 in Martin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket vs Martin?
All in, you'll spend $1,270 per month in Phuket versus $1,475 in Martin – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 152% less than in Martin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Martin?
At $1,270 in Phuket versus $1,475 in Martin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Martin. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Martin more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Martin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Martin?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Martin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Martin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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