🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,834 in Montecatini Terme.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,711 in Montecatini Terme.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,587 in Montecatini Terme.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 31% less than in Montecatini Terme, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Montecatini Terme is 37% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Montecatini Terme
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$20.86€17.96
-77.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$38.44€33.10
18.03%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$11.70€10.08
-27.95%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$1.66€1.43
76.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$2.28€1.96
-69.74%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$1.18€1.01
-68.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$5.12€4.41
-52.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$5.65€4.86
-34.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Montecatini Terme
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.39€1.20
60.43%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$2.79€2.40
-34.41%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$2.53€2.18
-14.23%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$4.73€4.07
-53.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$10.58€9.11
86.58%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$14.92€12.85
-75.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$22.61€19.47
-40.16%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$2.78€2.39
17.99%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$2.68€2.30
-39.93%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$3.59€3.09
-32.87%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$3.95€3.40
-47.34%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$2.80€2.41
-45.36%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$1.82€1.57
-18.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$1.51€1.30
-34.44%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$0.48€0.41
6.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$6.55€5.64
-32.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$9.11€7.84
112.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.06€0.91
67.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$1.48€1.28
83.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Montecatini Terme
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$1.76€1.52
-22.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$42.63€36.70
-73.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$6.65€5.73
-54.59%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$1.11€0.96
-10.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$34.00€29.27
-58.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$1.99€1.71
-31.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$27.5K€23.7K
2.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$36.6K€31.5K
-10.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Montecatini Terme
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$267€230
-54.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$11.36€9.78
19.45%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$30.92€26.62
-40.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Montecatini Terme
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$59.7€51.4
0.92%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$22.70€19.54
-24.49%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$10.12€8.71
-14.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Montecatini Terme
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$709€611
-2.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$11.3K€9,688
39.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Montecatini Terme
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$101€86.7
-40.88%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$35.28€30.37
-1.45%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$101€86.8
13.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$129€111
-35.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Montecatini Terme
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$767€660
-20.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$585€504
-25.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$1,216€1,047
72.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$926€797
63.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$2,948€2,538
27.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$2,119€1,824
23.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Montecatini Terme
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
4
33.25%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Montecatini Terme: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $767 in Montecatini Terme. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Montecatini Terme. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $359, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.
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 Montecatini Terme: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montecatini Terme cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $2,751 in Montecatini Terme 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Montecatini Terme?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $767 in Montecatini Terme. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Montecatini Terme?
Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Montecatini Terme. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Montecatini Terme?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $38.00 in Montecatini Terme. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Montecatini Terme?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,834 in Montecatini Terme, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Montecatini Terme. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Montecatini Terme more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Montecatini Terme, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Montecatini Terme?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Montecatini Terme 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Montecatini Terme. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.