Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Montegalda Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Montegalda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Phuket vs $1,751 in Montegalda, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Phuket vs $2,638 in Montegalda, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,306 per month in Phuket vs $3,525 in Montegalda, rent included.

Phuket is about 29% cheaper than Montegalda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 7% below the global median, while Montegalda is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Phuket
Montegalda
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.59 āļŋ147
$18.58 ₮15.81
-75.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.83 āļŋ1,501
$79.6 ₮67.8
-41.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 āļŋ279
$11.75 ₮10.00
-25.96%
Cappuccino
$2.92 āļŋ93.7
$1.92 ₮1.63
52.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 āļŋ21.92
$3.62 ₮3.08
-81.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 āļŋ12.70
$1.73 ₮1.48
-76.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.51 āļŋ80.4
$7.01 ₮5.96
-64.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 āļŋ122
$4.58 ₮3.90
-17.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Montegalda
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 āļŋ69.3
$1.65 ₮1.40
30.91%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 āļŋ60.3
$2.62 ₮2.23
-28.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.16 āļŋ69.2
$2.90 ₮2.47
-25.52%
Eggs
$2.22 āļŋ71.2
$4.05 ₮3.45
-45.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.57 āļŋ627
$15.84 ₮13.48
23.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.80 āļŋ122
$12.71 ₮10.82
-70.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.41 āļŋ430
$18.88 ₮16.07
-28.97%
Apples (1kg)
$3.26 āļŋ104
$2.78 ₮2.36
17.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 āļŋ51.7
$2.44 ₮2.08
-34.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 āļŋ74.0
$2.67 ₮2.27
-13.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 āļŋ66.0
$2.66 ₮2.26
-22.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 āļŋ51.5
$1.85 ₮1.58
-12.97%
Onion (1kg)
$1.44 āļŋ46.26
$1.69 ₮1.44
-14.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 āļŋ33.01
$1.26 ₮1.07
-18.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 āļŋ15.39
$0.40 ₮0.34
20.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.50 āļŋ144
$6.75 ₮5.75
-33.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.18 āļŋ615
$6.93 ₮5.90
176.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 āļŋ58.4
$1.50 ₮1.28
21.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 āļŋ86.2
$2.06 ₮1.75
30.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Montegalda
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 āļŋ44.16
$1.76 ₮1.50
-21.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.76 āļŋ377
$43.30 ₮36.85
-72.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 āļŋ99.6
$9.14 ₮7.78
-65.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 āļŋ32.18
$1.00 ₮0.85
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.74 āļŋ441
$40.18 ₮34.19
-65.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 āļŋ41.61
$2.04 ₮1.73
-36.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K āļŋ877.0K
$32.8K ₮27.9K
-16.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K āļŋ1.1M
$38.9K ₮33.1K
-15.22%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Montegalda
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 āļŋ4,004
$223 ₮189
-43.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.74 āļŋ440
$11.69 ₮9.95
17.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.61 āļŋ597
$32.12 ₮27.33
-42.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Montegalda
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.6 āļŋ1,941
$55.4 ₮47.14
9.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.15 āļŋ550
$23.23 ₮19.77
-26.17%
Cinema Ticket
$9.01 āļŋ289
$11.42 ₮9.72
-21.10%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Montegalda
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$698 āļŋ22.4K
$568 ₮483
22.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K āļŋ516.5K
$11.1K ₮9,456
45.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Montegalda
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.2 āļŋ1,898
$70.3 ₮59.8
-15.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.86 āļŋ1,118
$37.46 ₮31.88
-6.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 āļŋ3,662
$89.5 ₮76.2
27.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 āļŋ2,751
$132 ₮113
-35.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Montegalda
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 āļŋ19.8K
$764 ₮650
-19.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 āļŋ14.0K
$570 ₮485
-23.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,075 āļŋ66.5K
$1,239 ₮1,055
67.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 āļŋ48.4K
$914 ₮778
65.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,764 āļŋ120.7K
$3,343 ₮2,845
12.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,694 āļŋ86.4K
$1,981 ₮1,686
35.97%
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Montegalda
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$528 āļŋ16.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
4.47
19.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Last update for Montegalda: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $764 in Montegalda. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Phuket versus $80 in Montegalda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $335 – 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 Montegalda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montegalda cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Montegalda is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,870 per month in Phuket and $2,626 in Montegalda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $568 in Montegalda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Montegalda?
Groceries cost about 15% more in Montegalda, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Montegalda?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,247, than in Montegalda at $1,751. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montegalda it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Montegalda more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Montegalda?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montegalda makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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