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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $1,329 in Mercedes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $2,018 in Mercedes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $2,707 in Mercedes, rent included.

Phuket is about 8% cheaper than Mercedes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 8% below the global median, while Mercedes is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$15.94 UYU 643

-71.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$54.6 UYU 2,201

-14.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$12.01 UYU 484

-29.31%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$4.15 UYU 167

-25.78%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$2.26 UYU 91.0

-69.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$1.71 UYU 69.1

-78.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$4.36 UYU 176

-44.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.59 UYU 145

1.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.27 UYU 51.3

72.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$2.77 UYU 112

-34.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.39 UYU 56.2

60.43%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.62 UYU 106

-14.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$13.43 UYU 541

45.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$10.87 UYU 438

-65.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$7.41 UYU 299

81.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$1.97 UYU 79.6

70.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$2.43 UYU 98.1

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.13 UYU 45.57

113.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$2.85 UYU 115

-30.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$2.04 UYU 82.2

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.95 UYU 78.6

-25.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.36 UYU 54.9

-25.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.61 UYU 64.9

-70.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$4.85 UYU 195

-11.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$9.92 UYU 400

92.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$2.28 UYU 92.1

-19.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.90 UYU 117

-5.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$1.24 UYU 50.1

14.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$43.57 UYU 1,757

-73.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$1.43 UYU 57.8

109.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.50 UYU 60.4

-30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$11.15 UYU 450

24.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.82 UYU 73.4

-29.12%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$34.5K UYU 1.4M

-18.74%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$36.3K UYU 1.5M

-7.69%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$171 UYU 6,907

-28.79%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$16.79 UYU 677

-17.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$50.3 UYU 2,028

-62.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$10.70 UYU 431

-16.92%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$491 UYU 19.8K

40.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$8,891 UYU 358.5K

81.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$96.5 UYU 3,890

-40.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$46.80 UYU 1,887

-24.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$115 UYU 4,639

-1.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$123 UYU 4,953

-32.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$561 UYU 22.6K

8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$289 UYU 11.7K

54.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$618 UYU 24.9K

228.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$443 UYU 17.9K

236.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Mercedes: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $561 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 $55.0 in Mercedes. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Phuket vs $288 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 9% 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 $1,835 per month in Phuket and $1,994 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 $1,223 in Phuket and $1,329 in Mercedes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 272% 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 $1,223, than in Mercedes at $1,329. 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 $1,223 versus $1,329 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.