Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and May Pen Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and May Pen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $630 in May Pen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $973 in May Pen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,316 in May Pen.

Living in Phuket is roughly 101% more expensive than May Pen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, May Pen 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$2.24 JMD 351

-0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$3.68 JMD 576

-50.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$3.18 JMD 498

-31.76%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.46 JMD 542

-36.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.63 JMD 1,196

-52.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$5.09 JMD 797

165.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.53 JMD 240

114.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$5.11 JMD 801

-68.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$6.08 JMD 952

-60.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.91 JMD 299

8.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.93 JMD 302

-20.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.85 JMD 290

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$3.19 JMD 501

-68.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$2.90 JMD 454

-82.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.22 JMD 348

-19.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.83 JMD 130

65.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.41 JMD 222

-3.55%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

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

$13.57 ฿443

$41.74 JMD 6,540

-67.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$39.36 JMD 6,167

-53.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$313 JMD 49.0K

121.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$15.86 JMD 2,485

275.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$21.62 JMD 3,388

60.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$40.73 JMD 6,382

181.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$53.5 JMD 8,379

55.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$177 JMD 27.7K

246.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$217 JMD 33.9K

101.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$563 JMD 88.2K

272.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$443 JMD 69.5K

240.40%

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

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for May Pen: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $177 in May Pen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 May Pen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 101% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making May Pen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $945 in May Pen 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $177 in May Pen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $630 in May Pen – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $630 in May Pen versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes May Pen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but May Pen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $630 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes May Pen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and May Pen 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 May Pen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.