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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,351 in Mercedes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $2,022 in Mercedes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $2,692 in Mercedes, rent included.

Phuket is about 7% cheaper than Mercedes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Mercedes is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$16.26 UYU 659

-71.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$54.7 UYU 2,216

-14.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$12.30 UYU 499

-31.14%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$4.22 UYU 171

-28.20%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$2.27 UYU 92.2

-69.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.71 UYU 69.2

-78.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$4.33 UYU 176

-42.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.64 UYU 147

0.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.28 UYU 51.8

70.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$2.87 UYU 116

-33.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.44 UYU 58.5

52.78%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.61 UYU 106

-14.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$13.40 UYU 543

49.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$10.90 UYU 442

-66.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$7.23 UYU 293

83.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.89 UYU 76.6

70.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.38 UYU 96.5

-28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.11 UYU 45.07

115.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.91 UYU 118

-28.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.12 UYU 86.0

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.94 UYU 78.8

-23.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.35 UYU 54.8

-23.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.68 UYU 68.2

-69.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.84 UYU 196

-12.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$9.83 UYU 399

91.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.35 UYU 95.4

-25.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.95 UYU 120

-6.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$1.20 UYU 48.48

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$44.37 UYU 1,799

-74.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.44 UYU 58.3

118.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.56 UYU 63.2

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$10.89 UYU 442

26.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.82 UYU 74.0

-26.37%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$34.1K UYU 1.4M

-18.83%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$36.0K UYU 1.5M

-5.86%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$171 UYU 6,917

-27.56%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$16.32 UYU 662

-17.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$50.2 UYU 2,037

-62.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$10.67 UYU 433

-14.34%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$481 UYU 19.5K

46.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$8,995 UYU 364.7K

76.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$96.4 UYU 3,906

-38.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$48.38 UYU 1,962

-27.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$114 UYU 4,620

1.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$122 UYU 4,931

-30.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$568 UYU 23.0K

8.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$297 UYU 12.0K

45.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$623 UYU 25.3K

230.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$435 UYU 17.6K

247.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mercedes: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $568 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 – $293 in Phuket vs $290 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 7% 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $2,026 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 $1,261 in Phuket and $1,351 in Mercedes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 291% 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 $1,261, than in Mercedes at $1,351. 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 $1,261 versus $1,351 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.