Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mlava Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mlava

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,458 in Mlava.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $2,103 in Mlava.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,748 in Mlava.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 14% less than in Mlava, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 9% below, Mlava is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$10.83 zł 40.23

-57.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$27.30 zł 101

19.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$8.06 zł 29.94

10.42%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.70 zł 10.02

3.70%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$1.99 zł 7.38

-55.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$1.71 zł 6.34

-71.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$2.74 zł 10.18

-12.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$3.87 zł 14.39

-4.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$1.07 zł 3.97

67.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$1.77 zł 6.58

-18.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$0.95 zł 3.53

66.32%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$4.00 zł 14.85

-46.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$9.55 zł 35.48

108.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$7.25 zł 26.93

-52.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$12.23 zł 45.43

-7.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$1.42 zł 5.26

107.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.83 zł 6.81

-6.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$1.63 zł 6.04

42.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$3.22 zł 11.97

-35.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$0.99 zł 3.68

48.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.38 zł 5.11

-1.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$1.17 zł 4.35

-5.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.69 zł 2.57

-17.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$5.02 zł 18.63

-14.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$6.56 zł 24.38

180.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.11 zł 4.13

68.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$1.42 zł 5.26

105.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$1.17 zł 4.34

89.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$33.50 zł 124

-31.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$2.32 zł 8.63

30.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$0.88 zł 3.25

21.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$10.42 zł 38.71

-62.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.60 zł 5.93

-6.88%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$31.8K zł 118.1K

-14.71%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$29.0K zł 107.7K

-5.33%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$264 zł 981

-61.08%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$6.75 zł 25.07

62.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$8.04 zł 29.86

117.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$40.21 zł 149

33.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$23.60 zł 87.7

-52.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$5.35 zł 19.89

39.81%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$337 zł 1,252

65.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$5,444 zł 20.2K

117.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$85.7 zł 318

-25.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$38.45 zł 143

-24.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$93.1 zł 346

3.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$81.6 zł 303

10.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$623 zł 2,315

17.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$515 zł 1,912

-2.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$1,043 zł 3,875

100.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$881 zł 3,272

37.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$3,093 zł 11.5K

16.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$2,322 zł 8,623

8.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$1,080 zł 4,010

-53.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.89

-19.16%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mlava: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $623 in Mlava. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mlava pays 114% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Mlava for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $231 per month, with Mlava 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 Mlava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 114% lower in Mlava. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $623 in Mlava. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $337 in Mlava. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Mlava pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,458 in Mlava, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mlava. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mlava, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Mlava are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Mlava. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.