Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mgarr Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mgarr

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,045 in Mgarr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,069 in Mgarr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $4,092 in Mgarr.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 38% less than in Mgarr, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Mgarr is 53% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Mgarr
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70 ฿154
$20.21 €17.40
-76.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37 ฿1,483
$70.7 €60.9
-35.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.43 ฿276
$11.80 €10.16
-28.56%
Cappuccino
$2.93 ฿95.7
$2.67 €2.30
9.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.42
$2.70 €2.32
-74.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿12.00
$1.97 €1.70
-81.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿78.7
$4.83 €4.16
-50.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 ฿122
$5.00 €4.30
-25.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Mgarr
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 ฿73.0
$1.37 €1.18
62.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 ฿59.9
$1.53 €1.32
19.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 ฿70.9
$3.57 €3.07
-39.22%
Eggs
$2.21 ฿72.4
$3.79 €3.26
-41.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.74 ฿645
$9.63 €8.29
104.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ฿119
$10.64 €9.17
-65.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 ฿442
$14.00 €12.05
-3.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ฿107
$3.32 €2.86
-1.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ฿52.7
$1.95 €1.68
-17.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 ฿78.7
$2.85 €2.45
-15.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿68.1
$3.37 €2.90
-38.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.97
$1.85 €1.59
-17.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.41
$2.81 €2.42
-47.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 ฿32.32
$1.94 €1.67
-48.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.68
$1.23 €1.06
-58.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 ฿144
$6.54 €5.64
-32.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.38 ฿634
$6.29 €5.41
208.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿58.1
$2.37 €2.04
-24.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 ฿88.7
$1.79 €1.54
51.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Mgarr
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 ฿44.83
$2.82 €2.43
-51.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.39 ฿372
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿98.7
$8.00 €6.89
-62.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 ฿32.51
$1.95 €1.68
-49.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.10 ฿461
$34.51 €29.71
-59.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 ฿44.55
$1.53 €1.32
-11.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K ฿921.9K
$26.6K €22.9K
6.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K ฿1.1M
$41.1K €35.4K
-20.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Mgarr
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿3,978
$170 €146
-28.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 ฿444
$30.03 €25.86
-54.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31 ฿599
$33.20 €28.59
-44.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Mgarr
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.2 ฿1,969
$63.8 €54.9
-5.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14 ฿560
$22.81 €19.64
-24.86%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69 ฿284
$15.50 €13.35
-43.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Mgarr
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$693 ฿22.7K
$266 €229
160.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K ฿512.8K
$13.0K €11.2K
21.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Mgarr
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,946
$103 €89.1
-42.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77 ฿1,137
$38.76 €33.38
-10.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,746
$146 €126
-21.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3 ฿2,723
$102 €88.2
-18.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Mgarr
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$613 ฿20.0K
$1,109 €955
-44.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 ฿14.3K
$950 €818
-54.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,094 ฿68.5K
$1,959 €1,687
6.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 ฿49.3K
$1,487 €1,281
1.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,749 ฿122.6K
$3,798 €3,270
-1.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,616 ฿85.5K
$3,297 €2,839
-20.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Mgarr
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$508 ฿16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
5.43
-1.84%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mgarr: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,109 in Mgarr. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $71.0 in Mgarr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $301 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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 Mgarr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Mgarr?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Mgarr. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket vs Mgarr?
You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $3,068 in Mgarr to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Mgarr?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,109 in Mgarr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and Mgarr?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $266 in Mgarr. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Mgarr?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $71.0 in Mgarr. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Mgarr?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,045 in Mgarr, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mgarr. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Mgarr?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Mgarr?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Mgarr are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Mgarr. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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