Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mary Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $464 in Mary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $712 in Mary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $960 in Mary.

Living in Phuket is roughly 170% more expensive than in Mary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Mary 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$11.48 TMT 38.46

-60.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$8.59 TMT 28.76

3.61%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$8.66 TMT 29.02

-67.67%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$12.98 TMT 43.49

-93.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$1.39 TMT 4.67

-64.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$14.30 TMT 47.90

-83.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$11.25 TMT 37.68

-67.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$2.79 TMT 9.36

-35.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$6.67 TMT 22.33

-68.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$2.22 TMT 7.43

32.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.44 TMT 4.83

44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$1.96 TMT 6.56

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.67 TMT 5.60

-18.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$1.16 TMT 3.87

-50.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$17.06 TMT 57.2

-74.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

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

$103 ฿3,379

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

$10.99 ฿361

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

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

$557 ฿18.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$206 TMT 690

144.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mary: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 144% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Mary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mary wins on cost – living expenses run 170% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mary the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 144% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 185% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,253 per month in Phuket versus $464 in Mary – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $464 in Mary versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mary but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mary delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $464 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mary hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Mary 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 Mary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 170% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.