Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mercedes Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mercedes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,318 in Mercedes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $2,003 in Mercedes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,688 in Mercedes, rent included.

Phuket is about 4% cheaper than Mercedes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Mercedes are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Mercedes 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$15.84 UYU 637

-71.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$55.9 UYU 2,247

-18.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$12.40 UYU 499

-29.35%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$4.27 UYU 172

-30.44%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$2.20 UYU 88.4

-68.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.69 UYU 68.1

-76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$4.52 UYU 182

-44.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.60 UYU 145

4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.27 UYU 51.2

69.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$2.75 UYU 111

-33.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.40 UYU 56.1

55.71%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.77 UYU 111

-18.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$13.54 UYU 545

47.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$10.59 UYU 426

-65.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$7.28 UYU 293

86.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.90 UYU 76.4

70.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.38 UYU 95.8

-31.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.13 UYU 45.51

106.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$2.99 UYU 120

-30.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$2.04 UYU 82.2

-24.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.87 UYU 75.1

-21.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.33 UYU 53.3

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.71 UYU 68.6

-71.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.78 UYU 192

-9.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$8.65 UYU 348

114.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.38 UYU 95.6

-21.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.06 UYU 123

-13.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$1.21 UYU 48.60

17.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$44.71 UYU 1,798

-74.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.43 UYU 57.4

121.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.51 UYU 60.9

-31.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$10.93 UYU 439

27.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.88 UYU 75.5

-28.72%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$34.8K UYU 1.4M

-20.23%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$35.7K UYU 1.4M

-6.55%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$171 UYU 6,881

-28.11%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$16.48 UYU 663

-16.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$49.34 UYU 1,984

-62.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$10.31 UYU 415

-13.97%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$495 UYU 19.9K

38.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$8,837 UYU 355.3K

78.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$96.2 UYU 3,868

-38.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$48.05 UYU 1,932

-27.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$116 UYU 4,655

-0.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$125 UYU 5,016

-32.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$573 UYU 23.0K

8.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$294 UYU 11.8K

51.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$622 UYU 25.0K

227.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$438 UYU 17.6K

241.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,974 UYU 119.6K

16.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,988 UYU 79.9K

27.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.68

-6.16%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mercedes: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $573 in Mercedes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $56.0 in Mercedes. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Phuket vs $287 in Mercedes – so Mercedes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Mercedes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mercedes costs about 4% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,977 in Mercedes. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $1,318 in Mercedes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 286% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,264, than in Mercedes at $1,318. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mercedes it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,264 versus $1,318 in Mercedes. 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, Mercedes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.