Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Montanita Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Montanita

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $897 in Montanita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,335 in Montanita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,773 in Montanita.

Living in Phuket is roughly 39% more expensive than in Montanita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Montanita 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.43 $3.43

32.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$28.49 $28.49

62.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$7.60 $7.60

16.32%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.41 $2.41

26.97%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.89 $0.89

-17.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.67 $0.67

-40.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.97 $1.97

23.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.52 $3.52

7.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.09 $1.09

107.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.71 $1.71

5.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.56 $1.56

44.23%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.15 $2.15

4.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$5.39 $5.39

261.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.67 $5.67

-35.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$6.32 $6.32

106.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.99 $1.99

62.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.20 $1.20

35.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.09 $1.09

118.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.08 $1.08

87.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.44 $1.44

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.07 $1.07

40.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.52 $0.52

88.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.98 $0.98

-46.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$6.06 $6.06

-26.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$10.17 $10.17

80.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.54 $1.54

20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.48 $2.48

8.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.34 $0.34

314.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$24.32 $24.32

-51.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.53 $1.53

103.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.97 $0.97

7.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$9.86 $9.86

43.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.62 $0.62

111.29%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$24.6K $24.6K

12.89%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$28.7K $28.7K

15.57%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$40.33 $40.33

203.60%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$13.65 $13.65

-0.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$30.56 $30.56

-38.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$30.42 $30.42

98.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$14.80 $14.80

14.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.49 $7.49

21.09%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$255 $255

177.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$5,624 $5,624

180.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$56.8 $56.8

3.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$43.85 $43.85

-19.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$101 $101

14.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$75.4 $75.4

11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$337 $337

85.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$317 $317

40.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$621 $621

228.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$499 $499

198.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,239 $1,239

181.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,017 $1,017

153.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-46.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Montanita: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $337 in Montanita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $28.00 in Montanita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $187 per month, with Montanita 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 Montanita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montanita is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,345 in Montanita 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $337 in Montanita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $255 in Montanita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $897 in Montanita versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Montanita but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Montanita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Phuket and Montanita 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 Montanita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.