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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,044 in Minas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,666 in Minas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $2,288 in Minas, rent included.

Phuket costs about 21% more than Minas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Minas are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Minas 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$16.00 UYU 648

-71.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$54.4 UYU 2,207

-14.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$12.35 UYU 501

-31.42%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$4.14 UYU 168

-26.81%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$2.16 UYU 87.7

-68.06%

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

$4.49 UYU 182

-44.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.71 UYU 150

-1.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.20 UYU 48.61

81.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$2.78 UYU 113

-31.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.65 UYU 67.0

33.33%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$4.81 UYU 195

-53.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$13.62 UYU 552

46.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$10.94 UYU 443

-66.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.97 UYU 445

20.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.03 UYU 123

6.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.44 UYU 99.0

-30.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.56 UYU 63.2

53.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$3.62 UYU 147

-42.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.16 UYU 87.4

-26.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.92 UYU 78.0

-22.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.35 UYU 54.9

-23.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.67 UYU 67.7

-68.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$5.04 UYU 204

-15.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$9.77 UYU 396

92.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.29 UYU 92.8

-23.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$3.00 UYU 121

-8.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.62 UYU 65.8

93.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$3.62 UYU 147

-71.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$12.19 UYU 494

12.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.90 UYU 77.0

-29.47%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

-19.52%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$36.5K UYU 1.5M

-7.28%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$175 UYU 7,090

-29.32%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$16.97 UYU 688

-20.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$48.71 UYU 1,975

-61.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$10.47 UYU 425

-12.70%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$490 UYU 19.9K

43.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$8,836 UYU 358.2K

79.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$93.9 UYU 3,808

-36.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$48.20 UYU 1,954

-27.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$112 UYU 4,537

2.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$121 UYU 4,907

-30.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

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 Minas: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $54.0 in Minas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $321 – 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: $1,261 in Phuket, $1,044 in Minas – roughly 21% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,566 in Minas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $1,044 in Minas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $490 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 $1,044, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $1,044 in Minas to $1,261 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.