Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Meilen Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Meilen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $3,525 in Meilen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $5,499 in Meilen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $7,473 in Meilen, rent included.

Phuket is about 64% cheaper than Meilen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Meilen is 162% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$31.08 CHF 24.67

-85.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$145 CHF 115

-67.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$18.50 CHF 14.69

-54.22%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$6.37 CHF 5.06

-52.43%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$5.87 CHF 4.66

-88.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$5.13 CHF 4.07

-92.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$8.38 CHF 6.65

-70.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.27 CHF 5.77

-49.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$2.31 CHF 1.83

-5.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$3.29 CHF 2.61

-42.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$4.05 CHF 3.21

-45.68%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$7.53 CHF 5.98

-70.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$29.71 CHF 23.58

-32.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$33.41 CHF 26.52

-89.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$50.4 CHF 40.01

-73.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$4.23 CHF 3.36

-23.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.41 CHF 1.91

-29.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.99 CHF 2.37

-20.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$5.18 CHF 4.11

-59.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.51 CHF 1.99

-36.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.24 CHF 1.78

-33.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$2.51 CHF 1.99

-58.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.13 CHF 0.90

-53.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$11.01 CHF 8.74

-61.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$15.27 CHF 12.12

23.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.16 CHF 1.71

-18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.29 CHF 1.82

20.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$3.83 CHF 3.04

-64.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$96.8 CHF 76.8

-88.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$6.63 CHF 5.26

-52.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$4.11 CHF 3.26

-74.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$81.5 CHF 64.7

-83.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$2.24 CHF 1.78

-40.18%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$39.6K CHF 31.4K

-30.13%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$38.9K CHF 30.9K

-12.99%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$256 CHF 203

-51.67%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$58.4 CHF 46.34

-76.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$58.8 CHF 46.71

-68.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$88.9 CHF 70.5

-30.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$64.7 CHF 51.4

-73.34%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$27.31 CHF 21.68

-66.53%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$2,795 CHF 2,219

-74.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$40.1K CHF 31.8K

-60.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$140 CHF 111

-57.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$61.6 CHF 48.92

-43.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$147 CHF 116

-21.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$205 CHF 163

-59.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$1,728 CHF 1,372

-64.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$1,468 CHF 1,165

-70.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$2,884 CHF 2,290

-28.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$2,465 CHF 1,957

-38.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$24.8K CHF 19.7K

-85.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$11.9K CHF 9,462

-77.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$8,694 CHF 6,902

-94.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

2.09

155.02%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Meilen: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $1,728 in Meilen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1615% higher in Meilen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $145 in Meilen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $665 – making Phuket 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 Meilen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meilen costs about 179% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $5,287 in Meilen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 752% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $2,795 in Meilen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Meilen at $3,525. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Meilen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,261 versus $3,525 in Meilen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Meilen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.