Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and MayariCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mayari
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,514 in Mayari.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,896 in Mayari.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,279 in Mayari.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 16% less than in Mayari, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Mayari is 14% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Mayari
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$6.03CUP 145
-25.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,521
$20.18CUP 484
125.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿292
$6.44CUP 155
36.02%
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.0
$1.33CUP 31.87
123.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.90
$2.18CUP 52.2
-68.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.04
$1.24CUP 29.64
-68.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.4
$2.54CUP 61.1
-0.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
$2.97CUP 71.4
26.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Mayari
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.6
$2.89CUP 69.3
-25.61%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.6
$0.79CUP 18.92
130.38%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿72.9
$2.55CUP 61.1
-14.51%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.0
$3.09CUP 74.2
-27.18%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿667
$5.97CUP 143
235.01%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$5.36CUP 129
-32.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿452
$11.81CUP 283
14.82%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿108
$5.05CUP 121
-35.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.6
$1.22CUP 29.29
34.43%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿77.8
$1.39CUP 33.31
67.63%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.1
$1.49CUP 35.75
38.93%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$1.95CUP 46.87
-20.51%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.54
$2.81CUP 67.4
-48.04%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.86
$1.01CUP 24.29
-2.97%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$1.08CUP 25.90
-55.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿145
$3.45CUP 82.8
26.09%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿620
$10.15CUP 244
82.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿61.9
$1.77CUP 42.39
5.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.6
$1.97CUP 47.18
34.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Mayari
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.28
$0.19CUP 4.49
647.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿386
$20.16CUP 484
-42.61%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$2.32CUP 55.6
36.64%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.41
$0.41CUP 9.90
151.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿463
$19.61CUP 471
-29.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.84
$1.24CUP 29.69
8.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿927.1K
$71.0KCUP 1.7M
-60.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$79.3KCUP 1.9M
-57.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Mayari
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,105
$34.70CUP 833
254.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿459
$39.47CUP 947
-65.11%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿611
$247CUP 5,917
-92.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Mayari
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,025
$39.53CUP 949
53.53%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿573
$14.77CUP 355
16.18%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿296
$0.97CUP 23.35
814.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Mayari
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿22.9K
$118CUP 2,841
481.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿526.4K
$17.8KCUP 428.3K
-11.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Mayari
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,978
$54.3CUP 1,302
9.29%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,157
$40.36CUP 969
-14.05%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,843
$44.37CUP 1,065
159.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,794
$50.6CUP 1,214
65.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Mayari
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.7K
$215CUP 5,163
188.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$661CUP 15.9K
-32.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿67.8K
$379CUP 9,100
436.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿49.9K
$692CUP 16.6K
116.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.3K
$400CUP 9,591
764.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.4K
$356CUP 8,535
611.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Mayari
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$22.02CUP 529
2141.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
10
-46.70%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Last update for Mayari: July 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $215 in Mayari. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 2142% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $20.00 in Mayari for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $247 per month, with Mayari 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 Mayari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Mayari?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Mayari. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Mayari?
Average pay runs 2142% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Mayari?
Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $215 in Mayari. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket and in Mayari?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $20.00 in Mayari. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Mayari?
All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $1,514 in Mayari – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Mayari?
At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,514 in Mayari, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mayari. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Mayari?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,264 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Mayari?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Mayari 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Mayari. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.