😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $533 in Masjed Soleyman.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $826 in Masjed Soleyman.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,119 in Masjed Soleyman.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 131% more expensive than Masjed Soleyman, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Masjed Soleyman60% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Masjed Soleyman
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$3.92$3.92
18.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$16.73$16.73
179.98%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$4.45$4.45
98.65%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.62$0.62
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.05$1.05
-
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$1.16$1.16
158.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$0.46$0.46
60.87%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.99$0.99
-62.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Masjed Soleyman
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$0.63$0.63
258.73%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$0.53$0.53
247.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.92$1.92
16.67%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$1.19$1.19
94.96%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$3.41$3.41
476.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$3.30$3.30
10.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$9.86$9.86
32.86%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$0.92$0.92
268.48%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.36$1.36
20.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$0.83$0.83
190.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$0.54$0.54
275.93%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$0.48$0.48
225.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$0.46$0.46
226.09%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.55$0.55
85.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.23$0.23
113.04%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$0.95$0.95
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.46$0.46
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.36$1.36
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$2.21$2.21
101.36%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Masjed Soleyman
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$0.18$0.18
677.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$10.17$10.17
12.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$0.36$0.36
766.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$0.29$0.29
244.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$2.03$2.03
594.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$0.76$0.76
77.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$72.6K$72.6K
-62.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$55.7K$55.7K
-40.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Masjed Soleyman
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$15.58$15.58
702.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$2.11$2.11
543.13%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$5.89$5.89
214.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Masjed Soleyman
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$16.15$16.15
280.68%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$12.38$12.38
36.03%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$1.54$1.54
496.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Masjed Soleyman
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$116$116
504.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$1,970$1,970
691.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Masjed Soleyman
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$22.45$22.45
157.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$25.26$25.26
39.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$108$108
4.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$68.9$68.9
25.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Masjed Soleyman
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$280$280
119.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$197$197
125.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$643$643
218.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$317$317
371.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$953$953
296.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$698$698
279.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Masjed Soleyman
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
22.24
-76.03%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Masjed Soleyman: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $280 in Masjed Soleyman. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $17.00 in Masjed Soleyman for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $106 per month, with Masjed Soleyman cheaper across the board.
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 Masjed Soleyman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Masjed Soleyman?
Masjed Soleyman wins on cost – living expenses run 131% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Masjed Soleyman the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket vs Masjed Soleyman?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $799 in Masjed Soleyman 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 vs Masjed Soleyman?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $280 in Masjed Soleyman. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and Masjed Soleyman?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $116 in Masjed Soleyman. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or Masjed Soleyman?
Supermarket bills run roughly 174% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or Masjed Soleyman?
At $533 in Masjed Soleyman versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Masjed Soleyman but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Masjed Soleyman the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Masjed Soleyman?
Both work as nomad bases, but Masjed Soleyman delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $533 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Masjed Soleyman hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Masjed Soleyman?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Masjed Soleyman 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Masjed Soleyman gentler on the wallet – expenses run 131% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.