🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,362 in Mazsalaca.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,053 in Mazsalaca.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,745 in Mazsalaca.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 7% less than in Mazsalaca, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Mazsalaca is 2% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Mazsalaca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$11.36€9.85
-58.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,488
$58.7€50.9
-22.70%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$7.39€6.41
14.07%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿96.0
$3.29€2.86
-10.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.48
$1.86€1.62
-62.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$1.30€1.13
-71.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿79.0
$4.79€4.16
-49.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$3.09€2.68
20.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Mazsalaca
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.2
$1.32€1.15
68.94%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿60.1
$1.70€1.47
7.65%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿71.1
$2.89€2.51
-24.91%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.6
$3.16€2.74
-30.06%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿647
$11.73€10.18
68.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$7.47€6.48
-51.41%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿444
$11.99€10.40
12.84%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$1.35€1.17
142.96%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.8
$1.72€1.49
-6.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$2.54€2.20
-5.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.3
$3.46€3.00
-39.88%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿50.1
$0.96€0.83
59.38%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.56
$0.95€0.83
55.79%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.42
$1.71€1.48
-42.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.73
$0.83€0.72
-38.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$5.22€4.53
-15.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿636
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.3
$1.88€1.63
-5.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.9
$2.21€1.92
22.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Mazsalaca
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.96
$0.94€0.81
45.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿374
$36.87€31.98
-69.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿99.0
$2.37€2.06
27.43%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.61
$0.85€0.73
16.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿462
$11.43€9.92
23.36%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.68
$1.87€1.62
-27.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿924.7K
$30.2K€26.2K
-6.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$31.3K€27.1K
5.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Mazsalaca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,991
$318€275
-61.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿445
$17.68€15.34
-23.25%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿600
$19.93€17.29
-8.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Mazsalaca
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,975
$50.9€44.17
18.29%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿562
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿285
$11.47€9.95
-24.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Mazsalaca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$553€480
25.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿514.4K
$15.3K€13.3K
2.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Mazsalaca
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,952
$92.2€80.0
-35.42%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,140
$46.19€40.07
-24.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,758
$94.0€81.6
21.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,731
$133€115
-37.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Mazsalaca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.1K
$365€316
68.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$256€222
70.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.7K
$743€644
182.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.5K
$449€390
236.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Mazsalaca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4.1
30.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Mazsalaca: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $365 in Mazsalaca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $59.0 in Mazsalaca. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $243, with Mazsalaca cheaper for home cooking.
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 Mazsalaca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Mazsalaca?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Mazsalaca. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket vs Mazsalaca?
You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $2,042 in Mazsalaca 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 Mazsalaca?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $365 in Mazsalaca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and Mazsalaca?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $553 in Mazsalaca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or Mazsalaca?
Shoppers in Mazsalaca pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Mazsalaca?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,362 in Mazsalaca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mazsalaca. 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 Mazsalaca?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 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 Mazsalaca?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Mazsalaca 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 8% less than in Mazsalaca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.