Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Masaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Masaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $718 in Masaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,138 in Masaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,558 in Masaya, rent included.

Phuket costs about 76% more than Masaya, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Masaya are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Masaya 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.95 NIO 181

-5.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$35.34 NIO 1,294

28.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.21 NIO 264

16.92%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.44 NIO 89.2

20.08%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.84 NIO 30.60

-17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.75 NIO 27.32

-50.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.29 NIO 47.42

86.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.05 NIO 75.2

81.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.26 NIO 46.00

76.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$2.38 NIO 87.0

-23.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.86 NIO 68.2

16.67%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.24 NIO 81.9

-1.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.39 NIO 417

73.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.81 NIO 249

-46.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.92 NIO 290

70.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.93 NIO 144

-16.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.83 NIO 30.49

93.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.81 NIO 66.4

33.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.21 NIO 81.1

-5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$4.05 NIO 148

-62.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.19 NIO 80.1

-32.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.01 NIO 37.06

-1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.04 NIO 38.13

-50.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.68 NIO 98.3

64.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$14.69 NIO 538

31.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.45 NIO 53.3

22.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.24 NIO 82.1

20.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.46 NIO 53.3

106.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.88 NIO 252

104.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.36 NIO 49.91

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$22.8K NIO 835.6K

23.61%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.2K NIO 959.3K

25.62%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$98.9 NIO 3,622

23.05%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$16.80 NIO 615

-19.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$37.42 NIO 1,370

-51.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.96 NIO 291

9.17%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$124 NIO 4,540

459.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$5,948 NIO 217.9K

163.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$77.7 NIO 2,846

-23.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$72.7 NIO 2,662

-52.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$130 NIO 4,762

-11.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$110 NIO 4,019

-24.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.25

-48.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Masaya: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $35.00 in Masaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $262 – making Masaya 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 Masaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,077 in Masaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $35.00 in Masaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Masaya, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Masaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Masaya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Masaya. 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.