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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,306 in Mercedes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $2,026 in Mercedes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,745 in Mercedes, rent included.

Phuket is about 6% cheaper than Mercedes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Mercedes are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Mercedes 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$15.89 UYU 632

-70.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$54.2 UYU 2,154

-13.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$12.08 UYU 481

-26.82%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$4.15 UYU 165

-27.71%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$2.15 UYU 85.5

-65.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$1.69 UYU 67.4

-78.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$4.49 UYU 179

-45.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.73 UYU 148

-3.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.21 UYU 48.12

86.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$2.77 UYU 110

-33.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.39 UYU 55.4

61.15%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.63 UYU 105

-11.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$13.35 UYU 531

47.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$10.72 UYU 426

-65.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$7.15 UYU 284

83.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.89 UYU 75.0

79.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$2.39 UYU 95.3

-31.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.13 UYU 45.03

113.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$2.88 UYU 114

-29.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$2.11 UYU 83.8

-26.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.86 UYU 74.1

-19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.33 UYU 52.7

-23.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.65 UYU 65.6

-70.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$4.81 UYU 191

-7.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$10.10 UYU 402

86.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.29 UYU 91.2

-22.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.96 UYU 118

-7.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$1.20 UYU 47.71

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$43.67 UYU 1,737

-73.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.45 UYU 57.7

115.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.49 UYU 59.4

-32.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$10.91 UYU 434

29.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.82 UYU 72.5

-25.82%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$34.3K UYU 1.4M

-20.70%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

-8.38%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$168 UYU 6,698

-25.77%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$16.38 UYU 652

-17.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$50.3 UYU 2,000

-63.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$10.58 UYU 421

-13.14%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$492 UYU 19.6K

42.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$8,774 UYU 349.0K

77.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$96.7 UYU 3,848

-40.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$47.01 UYU 1,870

-25.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$113 UYU 4,485

0.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$122 UYU 4,840

-29.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$573 UYU 22.8K

7.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$296 UYU 11.8K

50.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$619 UYU 24.6K

230.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$439 UYU 17.5K

240.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mercedes: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $54.0 in Mercedes. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Phuket vs $286 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 6% 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,959 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $1,306 in Mercedes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 280% 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 $1,232, than in Mercedes at $1,306. 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 $1,232 versus $1,306 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.