Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Metn Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Metn

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $845 in Metn, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,336 in Metn, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,827 in Metn, rent included.

Phuket costs about 50% more than Metn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Metn are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Metn 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$11.02 LBP 986.1K

-57.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$60.8 LBP 5.4M

-25.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.10 LBP 725.3K

4.07%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.42 LBP 305.9K

-14.33%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.58 LBP 141.3K

-56.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.94 LBP 84.0K

-60.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.44 LBP 307.8K

-29.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.97 LBP 445.2K

-25.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.80 LBP 160.9K

23.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.78 LBP 70.2K

134.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

114.85%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.38 LBP 123.5K

60.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.09 LBP 544.8K

224.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.33 LBP 566.8K

-42.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$11.52 LBP 1.0M

17.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.79 LBP 160.0K

83.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.53 LBP 136.5K

5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.09 LBP 97.3K

121.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.09 LBP 97.6K

90.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.93 LBP 83.6K

64.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

49.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.83 LBP 74.7K

19.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.48 LBP 42.5K

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.53 LBP 136.7K

188.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$10.15 LBP 908.5K

90.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.74 LBP 66.4K

140.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.01 LBP 90.7K

168.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$5.07 LBP 454.1K

-40.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.26 LBP 113.2K

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$19.69 LBP 1.8M

-28.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.94 LBP 84.5K

44.68%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

-18.93%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

17.46%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$212 LBP 19.0M

-42.72%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$37.24 LBP 3.3M

-63.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$36.87 LBP 3.3M

-50.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$8.02 LBP 717.4K

8.35%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$308 LBP 27.5M

125.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$4,443 LBP 397.7M

253.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$70.5 LBP 6.3M

-15.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$45.53 LBP 4.1M

-23.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$121 LBP 10.9M

-5.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$93.5 LBP 8.4M

-10.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$509 LBP 45.5M

311.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.16

-52.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Metn: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $61.0 in Metn. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $188 in Metn – so Metn 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 Metn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,267 in Metn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $61.0 in Metn. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Metn, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Metn it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Metn – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Metn. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.