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 $1,054 in Metn, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,688 in Metn, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,323 in Metn, rent included.

Phuket costs about 20% more than Metn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Metn are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Metn 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$12.18 LBP 1.1M

-61.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$63.3 LBP 5.7M

-49.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$10.10 LBP 903.6K

-14.06%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$4.59 LBP 410.7K

-36.82%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$2.27 LBP 203.6K

-63.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.83 LBP 74.6K

-40.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$5.07 LBP 454.1K

-51.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$4.98 LBP 446.0K

-25.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.93 LBP 173.0K

-2.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.90 LBP 80.5K

56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.15 LBP 192.7K

-24.65%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.54 LBP 317.0K

-36.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$13.28 LBP 1.2M

49.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$10.42 LBP 932.8K

-66.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$14.37 LBP 1.3M

-20.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.10 LBP 277.8K

-6.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.65 LBP 147.7K

4.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.68 LBP 150.3K

35.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.53 LBP 137.1K

39.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.36 LBP 122.1K

8.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.62 LBP 145.4K

-12.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.18 LBP 105.2K

-6.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.69 LBP 61.8K

-13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.93 LBP 262.2K

47.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$10.13 LBP 907.0K

83.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.33 LBP 119.5K

35.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.51 LBP 224.8K

18.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$4.97 LBP 444.8K

-37.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$2.24 LBP 200.4K

-51.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$22.13 LBP 2.0M

-82.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.05 LBP 94.0K

36.19%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$52.5K LBP 4.7B

-47.11%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$33.1K LBP 3.0B

-18.40%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$233 LBP 20.8M

-55.01%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$23.29 LBP 2.1M

-51.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$37.39 LBP 3.3M

-53.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$59.6 LBP 5.3M

-8.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$10.01 LBP 896.0K

-22.28%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$499 LBP 44.7M

15.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$10.7K LBP 956.2M

8.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$67.5 LBP 6.0M

-5.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$48.97 LBP 4.4M

-40.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$140 LBP 12.5M

-31.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$121 LBP 10.8M

-25.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$504 LBP 45.1M

321.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Metn: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $63.0 in Metn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $278 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 20%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,581 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $63.0 in Metn. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Metn, where all-in costs run around $1,054, 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.