Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Melun Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Melun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,729 in Melun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $2,612 in Melun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $3,494 in Melun.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 27% less than in Melun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Melun is 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿153

$13.35 €11.70

-66.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,565

$53.9 €47.25

-14.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿292

$13.85 €12.14

-37.55%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$3.27 €2.87

-5.50%

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

$0.68 ฿22.89

$1.71 €1.50

-60.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.44

$2.13 €1.86

-82.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.6

$7.34 €6.43

-67.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿129

$5.85 €5.13

-34.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.5

$1.49 €1.30

46.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.3

$1.81 €1.59

0.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.5

$2.92 €2.56

-25.34%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.4

$4.08 €3.57

-45.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿673

$22.58 €19.78

-11.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿123

$12.91 €11.31

-71.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿458

$23.60 €20.67

-42.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$3.59 €3.14

-8.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.9

$2.19 €1.91

-22.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.8

$2.47 €2.17

-5.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.4

$3.29 €2.88

-38.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.91 €1.67

-16.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.5

$2.02 €1.77

-26.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.17

$1.59 €1.39

-36.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.70 €0.61

-31.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$13.82 €12.11

-67.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿629

$8.49 €7.44

119.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.3

$2.31 €2.02

-22.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.4

$4.29 €3.76

-34.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.90

$2.40 €2.10

-40.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

$48.66 €42.63

-76.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$4.76 €4.17

-35.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.19

$1.86 €1.63

-44.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿460

$31.92 €27.97

-57.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.23

$2.09 €1.83

-37.32%

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

$27.3K ฿920.7K

$37.6K €32.9K

-27.42%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$38.1K €33.3K

-12.73%

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

$123 ฿4,157

$197 €173

-37.56%

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

$13.81 ฿466

$23.63 €20.70

-41.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿625

$29.46 €25.81

-37.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,037

$36.45 €31.93

65.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

$18.68 €16.37

-10.06%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿300

$10.51 €9.21

-15.41%

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

$687 ฿23.2K

$566 €495

21.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿524.8K

$8,457 €7,409

83.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,945

$88.7 €77.7

-35.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,170

$36.24 €31.75

-4.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,879

$86.7 €76.0

32.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,865

$103 €89.9

-17.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

$766 €671

-19.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿15.0K

$589 €516

-24.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿69.1K

$1,196 €1,048

71.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.8K

$907 €794

66.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.4K

$4,004 €3,508

-10.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.7K

$3,039 €2,663

-17.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿17.0K

$2,550 €2,234

-80.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

3.69

44.44%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Last update for Melun: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $766 in Melun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melun pays 407% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $54.0 in Melun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $383 per month, with Phuket 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 Melun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Melun differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,729 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 407% lower in Melun. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $618 in Phuket versus $766 in Melun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,729 in Melun – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 329% less than in Melun. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,729 in Melun, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Melun. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Melun 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Melun. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.