Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Minas Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Minas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,086 in Minas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,702 in Minas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $2,318 in Minas, rent included.

Phuket costs about 13% more than Minas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Minas are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Minas 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$15.03 UYU 604

-70.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,075

$61.6 UYU 2,472

-47.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$13.63 UYU 547

-34.48%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.5

$4.30 UYU 173

-32.56%

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

$0.88 ฿29.33

$2.71 UYU 109

-67.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.03

$2.06 UYU 82.7

-76.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$4.74 UYU 190

-50.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.81 UYU 153

-2.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.2

$1.36 UYU 54.6

37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.86

$2.86 UYU 115

-48.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.79 UYU 71.8

-13.41%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$4.80 UYU 193

-56.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿653

$13.94 UYU 560

40.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$11.64 UYU 468

-70.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$11.85 UYU 476

-3.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.4

$2.84 UYU 114

4.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$2.85 UYU 114

-41.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$1.71 UYU 68.7

29.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$3.10 UYU 124

-30.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$2.10 UYU 84.5

-27.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.59

$2.13 UYU 85.7

-37.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.60

$1.41 UYU 56.5

-19.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.21

$1.97 UYU 79.0

-72.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.49 UYU 221

-22.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿636

$8.19 UYU 329

133.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.3

$2.32 UYU 93.3

-23.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.7

$2.87 UYU 115

-3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.3

$0.76 UYU 30.58

193.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿758

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.83 UYU 73.5

65.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.09

$0.40 UYU 16.24

155.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$10.46 UYU 420

-62.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.68

$2.19 UYU 87.9

-31.96%

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

$26.6K ฿885.7K

$26.9K UYU 1.1M

-1.23%

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

$27.0K ฿900.6K

$36.4K UYU 1.5M

-25.84%

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

$102 ฿3,414

$190 UYU 7,616

-45.96%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$17.22 UYU 691

-34.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿580

$45.16 UYU 1,814

-61.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,735

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$12.22 UYU 491

-37.07%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$616 UYU 24.8K

-9.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.4K

$10.8K UYU 434.9K

6.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,100

$95.9 UYU 3,852

-34.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿984

$55.9 UYU 2,246

-47.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,266

$124 UYU 4,969

-20.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,949

$132 UYU 5,286

-32.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.49

1.46%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Minas: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $62.0 in Minas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $331 – 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 Minas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,086 in Minas – roughly 13% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,629 in Minas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $1,086 in Minas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $616 in Minas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Minas, where all-in costs run around $1,086, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Minas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,086 in Minas to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Minas. 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.